Southwest Victoria fires: Point where it all began

IAN Rhode witnessed the powerline outside his Scotts Creek dairy farm spark a fire that quickly engulfed his family’s property on March 17.

Ignition point: Scotts Creek dairy farmer Michael Rhode with the fallen tree that downed powerlines then sparked the recent fire on his farm. Picture: Peter Hunt

IAN Rhode witnessed the powerline outside his Scotts Creek dairy farm spark a fire that quickly engulfed his family’s property on March 17.

“The power went off about 10pm, so I went outside in the ute and found a big swamp gum had come down on the powerline crossing the road,” Mr Rhode said.

“It was a big tree.

“The powerline was only about 6 feet (1.8m) off the road, so I parked about 50m away and put the hazard lights on.”

Then Mr Rhode saw a ball of flame leap from the roadside vegetation near the downed line, close to a power pole.

The howling westerly winds of that night quickly drove the fire ball on to the Rhodes’ family farm.

Friends who had been visiting Ian and his wife, Jenny, that night helped water down the house and dairy, while Ian moved a mob of bulls and steers out of the burning paddock to safety.

“About 10 CFA trucks arrived and managed to stop it spreading to the neighbours,” Mr Rhode said.

No damage was done to the house or dairy, but some fencing was lost, plus about 15ha of pasture.

At the ignition site, Mr Rhode found 75 per cent of the power pole had been burnt through.

Powercor replaced the burnt pole, reconnected the power and offered the Rhodes compensation to replace their burnt fences.

As for clearing, Mr Rhode said he hadn’t seen anyone cutting back trees around the powerlines for at least 12 months.