A pile burn escaped, jumped a levee bank and surged into the adjacent forest.
Emergency services were called about 9.45am, and luckily the Bullatale Rural Fire Service was assembled for training only five minutes down the road.
Mid Murray Rural Fire Service district officer Gerard James said it’s likely the only reason firefighters were able to pull up the fire when they did.
“The blaze escalated quickly, and burned about 100 hectares into the forest.
“Because we were having a fire training day at Bullatale, all 14 members were able to respond quite quickly.
“We also had an excavator nearby, so we were able to put in containment breaks.
“After the floods there is just so much fuel loading, and it is quite dry, so it had the potential to escalate further.
“Unfortunately, it is a sign of things to come.”
The official Bush Fire Danger Period for Mid Murray will begin on October 1, and will continue through to March 31 next year.
During this time, it is mandatory that people apply for a fire permit.
Once the application has been approved, the permit holder must abide by the conditions of the permit and notify of their intention to burn.
Assisting with this task is the new RFS Guardian portal.
Using the portal you can apply for permits, notify of your planned burn, submit a fire trail inquiry or issue, apply for total fire ban exemptions and notify of total fire ban exemption works.
Meanwhile, fire agencies are encouraging all residents to familiarise themselves with bush fire risks and what they can do now to prepare or prevent a fire.
An important part of preparing is to ensure you have a fire plan for your home and/or business.
Head to www.myfireplan.com.au to prepare your fire plan and learn more about how to be bush fire ready.
If you have any questions regarding the bush fire danger period or the permit system, contact the Mid Murray RFS office in Deniliquin on 5898 4100.
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