Fire crews from around Benalla were quick to respond to a roadside grassfire on Thursday, November 30.
Four fire crews attended a grassfire on Old Thoona Rd, south of Goorambat East, on Thursday, November 30 in quick response to the sudden blaze, which held up traffic for 30 minutes.
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The grassfire coincided with the CFA warning farmers of the fire risks associated with harvesting equipment this summer.
Benalla CFA deputy group officer Darrell Cole said the cause of the Goorambat East fire was not known.
Firefighters extinguished the fire which had spread about 30 metres into a pasture paddock across a 100m front in under 15 minutes.
A neighbouring farmer said he had rushed to the location when first notified on the CFA emergency app.
“The season is here for grassfires,” the farmer said.
“There will be lots of them, they reckon.
“I saw it on the app and came to check if it was on our property.”
The farmer praised the quick response of local units which came from Benalla, Chesney Vale, Goorambat and Thoona and said the local community of farmers were well-prepared for the summer.
“We had a meeting recently with the municipal emergency committee; and with fires, any advice needs to be taken,” he said.
“Without a doubt all farmers are on the ball with having the app.”
Another fire which engulfed a haystack in Murchison East on Friday, December 1 was attended to by four tankers from Murchison, Moorilim and Wahring.
The crews had the fire under control within 22 minutes according to the CFA, which issued a community smoke warning for the area.
The contents of the haystack were destroyed with no damage to the surrounding area.
Harvest fire warning
Following the warmer, drier conditions experienced in spring, CFA is warning farmers to take care with their harvesting activities.
Hot and dry conditions paired with high fuel loads will see elevated risks of fire ignition and spread this summer.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan is reminding farmers and community members to take extra caution this harvest season and be responsive to imminent dangers.
“We are entering a more standard summer fire season this year, so we know there will be a large amount of dry fine fuel ready to burn as the vegetation continues to dry out,” Mr Heffernan said.
“Unfortunately, we encounter a large number of fires igniting from farm machinery and vehicles each year in Victoria, and last year was no different which saw CFA volunteers respond to 41 of them between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023,.
“Many of our volunteers are farmers themselves so we understand the pressure that harvesting-related fires pose to them and the community in regard to both their safety and profits.”
Mr Heffernan said awareness is key to avoiding harvester fires, ensuring farmers are cleaning down and inspecting equipment thoroughly before use.
“We know how quickly small fires can spread to nearby paddocks, so it is imperative that our farmers are prepared before jumping on the harvest,” he said.
“Make it part of your routine to make sure your machinery is free of faults and mechanical defects, check for straw or grass build-up, as well as hot bearings.
“It is important to understand that material collecting on hot engine components in the manifold, exhaust and turbocharger are the most common causes of harvester fires.”
Farmers are particularly warned to be mindful of harvesting, grinding, welding, slashing or mowing in hot and windy conditions, as they can cause harm in a matter of minutes.
“Be sure to check weather conditions against the Grain Harvesting Operations Guide before harvesting,” he said.
“Hot and dry conditions are a particular concern for CFA, so always carry a water fire extinguisher and postpone paddock work during the highest fire-risk periods.
“Where possible, take regular breaks when operating machinery so it doesn’t get too hot and have adequate firefighting resources available in paddocks where you are conducting harvesting.”
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