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So after a long hard day of chainsawing and moving logs in the bush we were all just about to head home for the day, some of us already had, when the chorus of pagers went off. Mt. Forbes 41 were on scene at a grass fire along the Cunningham Highway at Willowbank and requesting additional resources. All available crews and appliances turned out – Chucka, Bull & Myself brought up the rear with 52.

Upon arrival we discovered a couple of hectares well alight and a few appliances already on scene including urban pumper from Karana Downs, 644A, in action – property protection. We quickly joined the mix and within a short period of time the fire was knocked down.

The cause of the fire then became apparent. A wheel had come off a towed trailer, the chassis being dragged along the highway for some distance. The resulting sparks ignited a fire on the side of the roadway which quickly swept up the hillside.

After a thorough inspection of the blackened out edge, we filled up what little water we used and called it a day.

With it shaping up to be a busy fire season by 9am in the morning the Brigade was again called to a fire, this time at Swanbank, in bushland opposite the power station. Crewing first vehicle on the scene we knocked down as much of the fire as we could get access to as other appliances began arriving.

With extreme difficulty in getting vehicles to the fire it was mostly down to slugging it out on foot with blowers, rakehoes and knapsack sprayers.

Unfortunately the fire managed to get out of the black and jump the train tracks entering an area of lantana brush where hand tools were simply inadequate and it quickly took off.

Mt Forbes were also responded and by this stage we had managed to get a light attack down the train tracks to knock that part of the fire down.

With both brigades on scene we were able to contain the rest of the fire and get back to station for a well deserved lunch!