By Parker McKenzie
CFA members throughout the Dandenong Ranges are helping respond to a huge grassfire in Flowerdale, which continues to burn into a third day.
The fire, which started Tuesday 21 February, covered an area of nine square kilometres as of 9am on Thursday 23 February.
Upper Ferntree Gully CFA Captain Peter Smith said seven members of his brigade had just been relieved after fighting the fire, with two more on their way to assist.
“A lot of the area is in inaccessible country that they are navigating around the edge of the fire,” he said.
“They have a lot of aerial appliances and smaller trucks because of the terrain, it’s a lot of hard physical work.”
More than 50 CFA units have responded to the incident since it was first reported at 2.40pm on Tuesday, and Forest Fire Management Victoria crews have been assisting the CFA.
The CFA said in an online statement the focus of firefighters is to secure the southern flank of the fire to contain it to the impacted area and prepare for increased fire risk.
“Good work was done yesterday and overnight on containment of the fire on the western and northern parts of the fire,” CFA said.
“There has also been a significant response from our aerial firefighting appliances to support ground crews. We have undertaken aerial water bombing overnight.”
There has been no confirmed loss of homes “in part due to early asset protection by firefighters,” according to the CFA.
Mr Smith said the area has been become dired out in recent times, contributing to the severity of the flames.
“February is the hottest month, it’s when all the major fires burn,” he said.
Bayswater CFA also have members supporting other brigades in fighting the fire.
