THE CFA is warning the community that the fire season still remains active after a burn pile reignited two months after last being lit, causing a fire requiring a water bomber to be called in.
Fire crews were called to the incident on a Coolart Rd property just after 3pm on 10 March where they found a “column of smoke” and a fast-spreading fire. Crews brought the fire under control within 30 minutes and were on scene for over three hours. Units from Somerville, Moorooduc, Tyabb, Baxter and Mt Eliza attended.
Somerville Fire Brigade captain Joshua Caron said with conditions still dry across the peninsula, the fire had moved quickly with wind and long grass contributing to the challenging conditions, which resulted in a helicopter water bomber being called to tackle the blaze. He said firefighters “did an amazing job to quickly stop the spread of the fire,” in a situation that could have escalated significantly.
While the incident was a “rare ignition”, Caron said it was a warning to all property owners to remain vigilant. “I know we tell people to prepare their properties, but they need to maintain them. Especially where we are, on the rural-urban interface,” he said. “Removing those significant fuel loads from around your house, making sure trees are maintained and grass is cut when the weather is fine to do this.”
Caron added the outlook was dry for the peninsula over March “so having a fire plan in place could be lifesaving”. “Even on what might seem like a low-risk day, make sure you always have that fire plan in place and that you are monitoring conditions,” he said. “This fire occurred on the kind of day where your average person wasn’t thinking about it being a fire risk day, but we are still in fire season.”
First published in the Mornington News – 18 March 2025
