Ophir Fire
Published Date: 18 Jan 2014
Summary
FIREFIGHTERS rushed to an out of control fire near Fourth Crossing on the Ophir Road north of Orange.
Ophir
LOCATION: Ophir Road Clifton
Grove
COUNCIL AREA: Cabonne
STATUS: under control
TYPE: Forest
fire
FIRE: Yes
SIZE: 12 ha
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY: Rural Fire Service
Central Western Daily
Update - 6.45pm
WHILE the Ophir fire near Clifton Grove is being contained other firefighters are rushing across the Canobolas Zone with 12 new fires started within the last two hours.
Police suspect the fire at Ophir was deliberately lit, while the dozen new fires stared during a dry lightning storm that passed through the area on Saturday afternoon.
"There is a large front coming through with a lot of lightning," NSW Rural Fire Service spokesperson Geoff Selwood said.
Update - 2.58pm
THREE aerial water bombers are now on site at the Ophir fire near Fourth Crossing north of Orange.
The out of control fire remains around two hectares in size and is burning in a south-westerly direction.
Update - 2.20pm
ROAD blocks are now in place around the Fourth Crossing area on Ophir Road with a two hectare out of control fire now burning.
NSW Rural Fire Service have a 'watch and act' alert in place with a heightened level of threat and conditions are changing.
Saturday January 18 - 2.07pm
FIREFIGHTERS are rushing to an out of control fire near Fourth Crossing on the Ophir Road north of Orange.
A NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) spokesperson said they are unsure at this stage if the fire is burning through grass or forested areas.
Eight RFS tankers and two water bombers are are on their way to the scene.
