By Tanya Faulkner
Knox fire crews have got to work early this summer as the first strike teams have been deployed.
Bayswater, Scoresby and The Basin have all had crews join the District 13 Strike Team 1314 in support of crews battling the recent Briagolong bushfire.
The fire is reported to have started on the morning of Sunday 1 October at Duffy Road in Briagolong, with locals to the area noticing the smell of smoke in the earlier hours of the day.
Initial emergency warnings were issued in the area on Sunday morning, instructing people to evacuate or find shelter from the bushfire.
Bayswater Fire Brigade captain Jamie McFarlane said crews from Knox were deployed to Maffra at around 11am on Sunday morning to assist with the fire.
“We got to Maffra at around 12pm and then moved down to Briagolong to help with the fire.
“Our crews didn’t get back to Knox until around 1am on Monday morning,” he said.
Weather reports say the firefighters were competing with winds of up to 90 kilometres per hour, as well as significantly warmer temperatures over the weekend.
Emergency warnings have been reissued for Briagolong, Stockdale and Stratford again this morning, with the District 13 Strike Team redeployed to Briagolong at approximately 4am on Tuesday 3 October.
Mr McFarlane said another five crews from Knox have gone back out to help crews manage the fire, including asset protection and working to get the fire under control.
He said the weather conditions have not been in firefighters favour.
“The high wind speed has had an impact on the fire and increased its intensity and made it harder to combat.
“With the rain now coming through we are hoping it will assist firefighters in getting the fire under control, and hopefully put it out all together,” he said.
According to Mr McFarlane, this fire has been quite large-scale for so early in the season.
“We don’t normally have strike teams deployed from Knox this early in the season, and it did catch us a bit off guard,” he said.
However, despite the surprise, local crews have managed to fill their trucks for deployment, and maintain enough crews to service the Knox area as well.
Mr McFarlane it’s important for locals to ensure they are prepared for the warmer weather and have a plan.
“If you live near, or plan to travel to, a fire risk area this summer, make sure you’re checking the fire danger ratings daily and have a bushfire survival plan for you and your family,” he said.
One home in Briagolong has been claimed by the fire, with other rural areas still at risk in Gippsland.
The Briagolong fire is not the only one being battled by firefighters in Gippsland, with another out-of-control fire, which started near Lakeside Track within the Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park, also causing concern earlier this week.
At the time of writing, the Briagolong fire is not yet under control, with emergency warnings still in place.
A relief centre at the Gippsland Regional Sporting Complex in Sale has been opened.
