Ferocious - The Wambelong fire

Summary

In mid-January 2013 a bush fire swept through the Warrumbungles National Park to the west of Coonabarabran, threatening Australian's largest optical observatory and destroying neighbouring farm land and properties.

Wambelong fireIt was the State's most destructive bush fire in a decade with more than 55,000ha burnt, including 95 percent of the Warrumbungles National Park and 53 homes. The smoke plume above the fire rose up 14kms - a plume so large is created its own weather conditions adding to the complexity of the fire.

An incident report on the fire features in the the Bush Fire Bulletin Volume 35 No1 on pages 8-11.