Jerilderie was close to being evacuated as a series of fires started by lightning posed challenges for firefighters on Sunday.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Almost 1000 hectares was burned in total as a result of multiple fires between Conargo and Jerilderie, which all started about the same time.
Driven by strong winds and stifling temperatures, Rural Fire Service Mid Murray Zone District Coordinator Gerard James said at one stage plans were being made for a Jerilderie evacuation.
But a wind change saved the town from being impacted.
Firefighters from across the Mid Murray Rural Fire Service, Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area RFS, Southern Border RFS and Deniliquin and Jerilderie NSW Fire + Rescue brigades were all dispatched in large numbers to bring the fires under control.
They battled on the ground for more than seven hours while two RFS Air Tractors, each with the capacity to hold 3000 litres, were used to help bring the larger of the fires under control.
Mr James said the large air tanker was inbound from Dubbo, but was turned around when firefighting efforts made inroads before its arrival.
Country Fire Authority crews from Victoria were also on standby, but were thankfully not needed.
Each of the fires was sparked by a lightning storm, which Mr James said appeared to follow a path adjacent the Billabong Creek.
“Most of the action was between Conargo and Jerilderie.
“We had a number of small fires, but the main ones were at Liddels Lane at Emery, Yanco north of the Billabong and Coree South.
“We had firefighters from 12 RFS brigades working across both Yanco and Coree.
“We also used two planes at Yanco, where the total area burned was about 800 hectares.
“Coree burned 120 hectares, and it was about 70 hectares at Liddels.
“With the other smaller jobs, the total area was about 1000 hectares.
“We were worried about Jerilderie at one stage. We closed the Conargo-Jerilderie Rd, and we were preparing for impact on the town before the wind changed.
“The fire thankfully was still a fair distance away. At its worst, we predicted it would be two hours until the fire reached the town.”
Mr James said surprisingly no infrastructure or stock were lost in either of the blazes, but he did say some crops were lost.
And he said firefighters worked diligently to keep the fire out of areas which would have extended its risk.
“We were able to keep it out of the creek frontage,” he said.
“If it had got in there, it would have taken a week or two to get it blacked out.”
Mid Murray group officer Keith McAllister was on the fireground of what is referred to as the Coree fire, and said it was a low but fast-moving blaze.
“It started on the north side of Conargo Rd and stayed that side for a while, but the wind was pretty horrendous, and it jumped the highway and started heading toward cropping country.
“I was low on appliances at that stage, with two major fires going at that time, but the cavalry turned up about an hour into it.
“We had about nine RFS crews, Fire + Rescue and two bulk water carriers.
“At its worst, I estimate the fire was moving about 10km an hour.
“It was low in native grass, but some of the guys said the heat was still quite intense.”
The first fire call came in about 12.40pm Sunday, with a number of others arriving within the next 10-20 minutes.
The last of the firefighters officially stood down about 7.30pm, but monitoring has continued and will continue over the coming days.
Mr James said with fuel loading conditions, and the weather patterns predicted and expected for the rest of the Bush Fire Danger Period, communities should always be on high alert.
“Everything is so dry, so the risk of a fire is very high. We could easily get another day like this.
“There is still residual fuel loading from last year, so we’ve got old grass underneath the new.
“The weather for this week will be dirty.
“To have a prediction of 41ºC and windy today when the rest of the week is going to be in the 20s shows how unstable the weather system is.
“And harvest has barely started yet, too.”
Mr James said firefighters will be monitoring conditions today for any new fires or fire reignitions.
But he said the nature of lightnings fires means dormant fires caused by Sunday’s weather conditions could still appear at any time over the next few weeks.
Landholders and community members are asked to report any smoke or fire sightings to Triple Zero (000).
Senior journalist