General News
21 November, 2024
Farmers recount Kadnook fire and the tough conditions crews faced containing it
"I'd hate to think what would have happened if this fire had taken off in two months' time."
Close calls for many in lead up to summer
Stuart Grigg was at the Edenhope Show with his wife and daughter at the weekend judging the shearing competition when a friend approached and told him a large bushfire was developing near his property in western Victoria.
The former Kadnook Fire Brigade captain walked outside the pavilion and his worst fears were confirmed.
"I could see a great big tower of smoke from Edenhope which is about 16 kilometres away by road," he said.
"We flew home and jumped in our fire gear... I went into the forward command vehicle with group officer Peter Irving who acted as a sector commander and we got to work."
Mr Grigg runs a mixed-farming operation comprising sheep, cattle and cropping about a kilometre north of the Kadnook fire shed.
The fire was about a kilometre from his home.
On arrival at the fire, Mr Grigg, an Edenhope Group deputy group officer with the CFA, said firefighting conditions were challenging.
"The worst part of the fire was there were so many spot fires so you just had to deal with it as best you could," Mr Grigg said.
"We had 15 tankers to start with, but we ended up with 200-250 firefighters, plus Forest Fire Management Victoria crews."
The fire burnt close to 1250 hectares, burning mostly blue gum plantations and native forests, while one house at Kadnook was destroyed in the blaze.
"I'd hate to think what would have happened if this fire had taken off in two months' time," Mr Grigg said.