Mulch fire triggers alert

By Tania Martin
SMOKE engulfed Canterbury Road in Kilsyth last week after a large pile of mulch caught fire in a nearby timber yard.
The Country Fire Authority was alerted of the fire in Liverpool Road shortly after 5.30am on Sunday, 15 January.
Montrose and the Basin fire brigades were first on scene and had to extinguish a large mulch heap on fire.
Montrose CFA captain Stuart McCall said the pile was 15-metres high and 30-40 meters wide and the fire extending to log heaps.
Fire trucks and crews from surrounding CFA brigades, including Bayswater, Rowville, Mt Evelyn, Lilydale, Clematis and North Warrandyte, were at the scene.
Yarra Area CFA media relations officer Cindy Jeffrey said that an excess of 80 members were involved.
She said the firefighters moved any possible fuel source such as mulch and logs away from the fire to prevent any risks of ignition.
CFA operations manager John Athorn has praised local businesses for their support.
“We wish to acknowledge and thank surrounding businesses and residents in the local vicinity for their patients with regard to the smoke that has been impacting their area for several days,” he said.
Mr Athorn said at times the smoke spread as far as Olinda.
He said this type of fire usually burns for days because of the large tree trunks and stumps that needed to be extracted from around the pile and cooled.
Mr Athorn said the Red Cross volunteers were a tremendous support.
Mr Athorn said the cause of the fire is still being investigated.