Threat of Glenrowan grassfire to community reduced

FIREFIGHTERS have reduced the risk of a 25-hectare grass and scrub fire at Glenrowan-Moyhu Road with the community urged to monitor conditions. A CFA spokesperson said the blaze which broke out at around 2:05pm on Monday in the rural area north of Mills Road was still not yet under control as of 2:30pm Tuesday. The spokesperson said 27 CFA units from multiple local brigades along with air support have been fighting the grassfire which was travelling in a northeasterly direction towards Glenrowan. According to the spokesperson, the fire grew to 20 hectares within the first hour of the blaze, with firefighters slowing the spread. CFA District 23 acting assistant chief fire officer Steve Contessa said 30 CFA and 12 Forest Fire Management Victoria personnel were on the ground Tuesday afternoon working on building a containment line along difficult terrain before deeming the fire under control. “It is very, very steep, very rocky, inaccessible on foot and in some areas on vehicles,” he said. “The dozers are doing some great work for us and we’re working on tracking a route they can get through. “We’ve relied upon firefighting aircraft which have done a fantastic job in extinguishing a lot of these inaccessible areas for us. “We’ll have a presence here for the next 24-48 hours.” Mr Contessa said firefighters undertook a risk assessment to conduct back-burning operations on Tuesday afternoon. “We’re looking at burning out some fuel that’s currently in the perimeter area,” he said. Three aircrafts assisted with water bombing and mapping out the fire on Tuesday morning and were set to return for the back-burning operation on Tuesday afternoon. Mr Contessa said on Monday two farm sheds and a holiday home were engulfed by the blaze, with no one harmed. “The community messaging that’s been put out there has seen quite a number of surrounding areas where people have relocated their animals, particularly horses and cattle,” he said. “I understand there’s quite a few people waiting for the fire to be deemed under control for them to be able to bring their animals back to where they belong.” Mr Contessa said as of Tuesday afternoon there was no threat of further loss of structures or to the community. “The fire hasn’t grown in size since Monday but there is an active fire inside that perimeter that we’re working on,” he said. The latest watch and act message issued via VicEmergency at 2:30pm advised residents in the Glenrowan, Laceby and Greta West area to monitor conditions and be ready to act. “Firefighters have been able to slow the spread, but the situation can change at any time,” the message read. Mr Contessa said even though summer has finished, the region was in the peak of its fire season and urged vigilance among the community. “We need people to be conspicuous of that risk and conducting themselves according to the fire risk in the community, maintaining their own fire plan,” he said. Mr Contessa said the formal investigation of the cause of the fire remained ongoing and it was not being treated as suspicious. As of 2:30pm Tuesday, roads in the area are open with speed restrictions in place on Glenrowan-Moyhu Road between Laceby-Glenrowan Road and Mills Road in Glenrowan. The school bus service to Greta West and Hansonville was cancelled due to the fire in the area on Monday afternoon, with the Greta West service remaining closed on Tuesday. Stay up to date with the latest warnings and advice on the VicEmergency app.

Threat of Glenrowan grassfire to community reduced

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