Firefighter efforts contain massive fire
Published Date: 21 Jan 2013
Summary
The Young Witness
Firefighters took advantage of cooler weather over the weekend to contain an out of control grass fire which burnt out more than 1600 hectares in the Black Range area between Boorowa and Young.
A number of stock losses have been reported, as well a significant amount of fences. The fire, which started at Watershed Stud just out of Young on Moppity Road soon after lunchtime on Friday, travelled 12 kilometres in 20 minutes and came within just five kilometres of the Boorowa township.
By midafternoon on Friday, the Rural Fire Service had issued an emergency alert telephone warning message to homes in the area and created a Neighbourhood Safe Place in Boorowa, and an Evacuation Centre in nearby Harden.
At 4pm residents were told the fire could reach Boorowa within two hours and they should leave.
A southerly change then turned the fire north, away from Boorowa, to the Douglas Gap and Murringo areas.
An air crane, two water bombers and three helicopters assisted in fighting the fire, which was aided by assistance from Fire and Rescue NSW and Boorowa Shire Council.
One hundred and eighty firefighters and 60 tankers were on hand fighting the blaze on Friday.
More than 60 RFS volunteers, assisted by bull dozers and aircraft, used the cooler conditions over the weekend to strengthen containment lines around the fire, particularly the western edges.
After three days of hard work, the fire is now contained around the entire perimeter and is expected to be handed back to local authorities by this afternoon.
RFS South West Slopes zone public liaison officer Tim Carroll said it was still unknown what sparked the fire but that it was under investigation.
He said anyone with information should ring Crime Stoppers.
Young resident Sarah Waddell said she first noticed the fire just five kilometres from her property off Moppity Road.
"It was very scary - when it first come over it was massive," she said. "It looked like big black clouds,"
"If it changed from the south-westerly direction, we would have been in the firing line."
Sarah said her husband Angus immediately rushed to get his fire gear and his ute, with an attached fire unit, to join the effort while she stayed home and waited for direction.
Later as the fire turned towards Murringo, a resident there said she wasn't prepared to take any risks and packed up the car and her children ready to leave.
"It's just good community spirit," Sarah said. Both women assisted with providing food to the RFS volunteers and thanked them for their efforts.
