TWO water bombers and a host of CFS trucks and and personnel fought a large fire at Robe in 30 degree heat on New Year’s Day after a blaze was accidentally started by a marine flare.
While the 40 acres burned in the fire was only scrubland near Robe St and Beacon Hill Rd and there was no major property loss, Robe CFS group officer Brian Kirkland said it could easily have been much worse and the safety of residents could have been threatened if weather conditions changed. “If the wind picked up it could have...the fire was within 200m of resident housing,” Mr Kirkland said. “We didn’t have control of the fire until the evening because it was in an inaccessible area. “Crews had to wait for a bit for the fire to burn in the area so we could get through. “There were a couple of earth moving machinery pushing back through so we could get access to the fire.”
The CFS crews were successful in controlling the fire before it did major damage to the area or town.
“The fire was contained by about 7.30pm... we stayed there until 1pm mopping up and then all crews went back the next morning at 7am.
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