Mirboo North and Strzelecki Highway, 29 and 30 January 2009

Crews battle the blaze at Mirboo North

CFA Strike Team Leader and member of Public Affairs' Digital Media team, Noel McWilliams, has supplied Fire Flyer with dramatic photos from Mirboo North and the Strezlecki Highway. Below, he talks about his experience of the fire:

"We arrived in Mirboo North as Strike Team 9381 on Thurdsay afternoon, 29 January and were greeted by a solid plume of heavy smoke to the northeast of the town, in an area we now know is Old Darlimurla Road. The fire had broken through containment lines and was burning fiercely in the forest.

"Elvis and helitaks, along with fixed-wing aircraft, were working to protect houses and to take the heat out of the head and spots in front of the main fire. We were sent some distance in front of the fire for asset protection, but after a short period were called back to work with other units along Old Darlimurla Road near Slaughterhouse Road, where we stayed for most of the night. Initially the houses along the road were under some threat, but the aircraft took the sting out of the fire and we waited as the fire burnt to the control lines.

"The locals were great and glad to see us. They went to great pains to make us comfortable, and basically plied our strike team with food. During the night we heard that the fire had broken a number of control lines along the north and as we returned home in the morning we could see a lot of uncontrolled areas which would be a problem for the day-shift crews.

"Friday was a bad day. It was very hot and as we waited for the bus at Newborough we could see that the fires had spread and that there were a number of solid plumes of angry fire. We had to negotiate a number of road closures to get to Mirboo North staging area and again arrived to a busy scene - the fire had just crossed the Strzelecki Highway and was running to the west with an early wind change.

"There were a few tankers working along the road and another strike team arrived to help out. Elvis and friends were also moving in and chased the fire up the road. Because of the busy fire situation we had a long wait in the staging area for trucks to be released before we could get out on the job. Luckily the staging area was in full swing and the locals from Mirboo North were doing a great job with meals.

"While in the staging area I managed to catch up with a few mates from Region 8 and had a quick chat to the day shift crews who had been in the Boolarra area where they had been flat out (saved lots but saw a few go as well).

"We finally managed to get out on the job and worked in the area where the fire had crossed the highway, tidying up around the houses and helping to burn out a small area near Muirhead Drive.

"When we finished the night shift the staging area was busy again. A few more strike teams had arrived with crews to work over the weekend. They made use of the milder weather to round up the fire, although it was not contained."

Click image below to view Noel's photos.

Delburn Complex