General News
14 January, 2026
No structural damage in Patchewollock
Firefighters continue to monitor two major fires burning near Patchewollock and Boinka as sandy terrain and an extensive dune system limited safe access for ground crews.
A State Control Centre spokesperson said on Monday, January 12, that firefighters continue to monitor two major fires burning at Patchewollock and Boinka, with challenging terrain and weather conditions influencing operations across both fronts.
The Patchewollock fire, described as an extension of the Boinka blaze, burned about 1946 hectares, with overnight activity reported on the eastern side and across Ginap Track.
Under south-easterly winds, incident controllers identified the south-western and north-western flanks as the primary areas of concern.
Authorities estimate the Boinka fire has now burned about 55,142 hectares.
The spokesperson said the fire behaviour was subdued overnight due to milder winds and weather conditions, which are expected to continue into the week, but added the fire remained “in challenging terrain, with sandy conditions restricting ground access.
Local Patchewollock farmer Simon Grigg said crews contained flare-ups and continued to patrol the area.
“Still burning in spots, but totally under control,” he said.
“It got away a little bit on our property yesterday afternoon (Jan 12), so we had lots of firefighters out there controlling it.”
Mr Grigg said the fire started earlier in the weekend near Boinka.
“It started on Friday morning in the north-west corner near Boinka, right near the north-west corner of the Big Desert,” he said.
He said a late wind change caused problems for firefighters and landholders.
“The wind was from the north, so it was heading south, but the problem started when the wind change came later in the afternoon, and it changed to the south-west,” he said.
Despite the fire’s run, Mr Grigg said damage around Patchewollock remained limited.
“No infrastructure has been lost apart from a few acres of stubble and a few trees and some fence lines; there’s certainly no structural loss in Patchewallock,” he said.
Mildura Rural City Council said it supported the response with machinery, water and community relief efforts.
“We provided vehicle and logistical support on Friday and throughout the weekend, including supplying two graders and a water tanker on Friday afternoon to help create fire breaks,” the council stated.
Council also opened a relief centre at Ouyen when conditions escalated.
“We set up and staffed a relief centre at the Ouyen Football Club at Blackburn Park on Friday afternoon,” the council said.
“About 30 residents from the surrounding area used the relief centre overnight on Friday before returning to their homes the following day once it was deemed safe.”
– TAYYAAB MASROOR and ZOEY ANDREWS