Henley Ridge residents assess bushfire losses

Henley Ridge residents were allowed to return to their homes on Sunday, heartbreakingly assessing for themselves the damage caused by a fast moving fire which lay siege to their rural community on Thursday. The fire completely destroyed two properties and damaged a bedroom in a third home, while also destroying other outbuildings and vehicles, including a bobcat. Speaking from the fire ground on Sunday, CFA District 23 acting assistant chief fire officer Peter Bell said the devastation - as horrible as it was - would have been significantly greater if not for the efforts of firefighters on the ground and in the air. Those efforts were continuing on Sunday, with CFA volunteers blackening out the remnants of the fire, which burnt 385 hectares of private property. “The fire was contained on Saturday and later today it will be put under control, and from 5pm Sunday it will be handed back to the local brigade and group and they will patrol it over next few days,” Mr Bell said. “There is no active fire front. “Crews are just blackening out a lot of the trees that are smouldering and we’re making sure it is safe. “There’s still an advice message out on it so people should be wary of it and report any fires they do see and the fire brigade will respond.” Mr Bell said despite the losses, things could have been much worse, thankful there was no loss of human life. “The efforts of firefighters saved at least eight houses...most were under direct threat from the fire on Thursday and it could have been more devastating for the small community in Henley Ridge than what it was,” he said. “They (homes) were saved by fantastic work by the CFA volunteer firefighters that were there, and the aircraft dispatched, including two LATs (large air tankers) from Avalon dropping fire retardant. “An emergency warning to leave now was issued on Thursday and most people adhered to that...some stayed to protect their homes.” Mr Bell said fire investigators and Victoria Police were continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, which started on the side of Snow Road, near Markwood around 1.30pm on Thursday. “Fire investigators inspected the site on Friday and investigations are ongoing,” he said. Mr Bell said the fast moving fire spread from the roadside through grassland into private property and up a ridgeline and then into Henley Ridge,” he said “It’s a warning to everyone that the grass has dried out and fire will move very quickly,” he said. Mr Bell said he was unaware of any stock losses at this stage. “There have been a few wildlife losses, such as kangaroos and birds...Parks Victoria have had wildlife inspectors out there on site,” he said. Thursday’s fire was an ominous and unwelcome start to summer. About 250 firefighters were on scene of the fire on Thursday with some 40 trucks and nine aircraft deployed, including two large air tankers which did three retardant drops each. About 160 firefighters were on scene Friday morning, forming a 12km perimeter around the fire which was travelling in a south-easterly direction towards Whorouly-Bobinawarrah Road. Incident controller Cameron McKern said on Friday that kinder, less windy conditions were helping tackle the fire, but damage presented by damaged trees and the number of trees made access challenging. “There’s a lot of fire within the edge waiting for wind to get it going, so we need to get people in blacking out,” he said. Due to the dense bushland and very steep terrain, Mr McKern said some areas of the fire could only be accessed by aircraft. Mr McKern said four firefighters reported injuries within the fire on Thursday, with two firefighters involved in a vehicle rollover and another two firefighters suffering heat-related illnesses. “Everybody’s fine and everybody’s home, which is good,” he said. The Markwood blaze prompted a heavy multi-agency response led by CFA and Forest Fire Management Victoria, with VicRoads and Rural City of Wangaratta council providing assistance. People should check the VicRoads app and website for an update on road closures in the area. "One of the worst we've hard": Cr Bussell Rural City of Wangaratta councillor and Carboor resident Harry Bussell said the blaze was one of the worst he has seen in his time within the rural city. “If we measure this fire by its risk to human life and property, it’s certainly one of the worst we’ve ever had,” he said on Sunday, back on the fire ground helping black out fires as a CFA volunteer. “We’ve suffered loss, but equally eight homes were saved. “There is still a fair bit of work to do up here, but it has started.” Cr Bussell, whose King ward takes in the Markwood community, personally drove one the fire victims, whose home was damaged, into to Wangaratta to stay with friends. He said council had made contact with those who have lost property and have offered them temporary accommodation. “Rural people will band together and help each other,” he said. “Council will be offering ongoing support to those who have been fire affected. “We will be meeting on Monday to discuss.” Meanwhile, Wangaratta-based Nationals MP for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, has called on the Victorian government for urgent financial assistance for those impacted. He said he had written to Premier Jacinta Allan seeking immediate and ongoing support to the Markwood community. "Assistance with temporary accommodation, financial relief, counselling services, and recovery support must be prioritised," he said. "People who have been displaced deserve certainty, compassion, and practical help."

Henley Ridge residents assess bushfire losses

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