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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!

 

A couple of days ago bushfire has taken hold in the Goolman Conservation Park in the vicinity of the RAAF Purga shooting range, within the Ripley Valley brigade area.

With all four Ripley Valley units and some other Ipswich Group appliances, aswell as some assistance from the RAAF fire service, the fire took 3 days and nights to bring under control.

 

Due to work goings on I was unable to attend until the second evening, joining the night shift starting at 1700 hrs.

…. Apologies for the quality of the night shots, the camera I’m using is a not very recent canon ixus series, turns out pretty good photos during the day but at night has no manual controls or creative modes and doesn’t go past ISO800. Have a A720IS coming soon

 

 

By this time most of the backburning was done and the primary task for the crews on scene was trying to keep the fire within the established containment lines.

High winds and poor visibility continued throughout the evening and ember attacks were an ever present hazard causing was spot fires in a number of sectors.

 

 

 

 

 

Fortunately all were quickly brought under control and containment lines were not breached. Sometimes the scene of bushfire when for as far as the eye can see is alive with fire, seems very surreal.

 

 

 

Although the winds had died down by about midnight, throughout the evening falling trees were an ever present hazard and just patrolling the fire required continuous risk assessments about where, when and how we were going to get to where we needed to be. (Usually just a few metres down the same track) .The frequent deep cracking within the bush of big trees falling over was a constant reminder to look up and be on your toes at all times. Many fallen trees, along with some deliberate drops for safety reasons, were cleared from the tracks in the process of just getting around. The chainsaws certainly got a good work out that’s for sure.

 

 

 

After a couple of near misses and a bit of missing paintwork it became necessary to call it a night. Vehicles were top up with water and fuel and returned to the station where equipment was resupplied ready for the morning shift. Ended up getting home at about 2am I think.

 

 

 

Started again with the morning shift 0700 hrs.

 

The wind had died down compared to the previous evening which was nice and most of the day was not so much in a reactive defense mode but blacking out the edges. Basically ensuring nothing is alight within 10 metres of the containment lines, either by moving it or if we can’t putting some fire-retardant foam down it.

 

Generally speaking just lots of hard work, crawling our way along the track hauling half burnt red hot logs, branches etc well back into the black stuff.   .   .   . The not so pretty but necessary part of bush firefighting.

 

 

In contrast to the previous night the landscape is now blackened and desolate.

 

 

The following photos are taken by other members of the Ripley Valley Rural Fire Brigade