Source: Clarkefield CFA (Facebook)
Clarkefield and Darraweit Guim residents were urged to take shelter last week after a grassfire burned out of control and conditions became too dangerous to evacuate.
Last Wednesday, fire authorities responded to reports of a grassfire in Clarkefield at 12.58pm. Its spread damaged properties and Vic Emergency advised, in the early hours of the afternoon, that it was too late for residents to leave.
That evening, Clarkefield CFA wrote a statement online.
It read, “What stood in front of crews was confronting – wind-driven fire, heavy fuel load, and rapid spread”.
“Additional appliances were requested immediately in an effort to stop it early. Crews hit the fire hard. But it hit back harder. “Flame fronts were knocked down only for new runs to form behind them. It was relentless. Conditions changed quickly and the fire pushed beyond the initial attack.
“Then the horizon filled with lights. More tankers. More crews. Aircraft overhead. In total, 70+ appliances and six aircraft, supported by Fire Rescue Victoria, Victoria Police and Forest Fire Management Victoria, worked together to stop further harm to our community. Some properties were impacted today. That hurts – because in a town like Clarkefield, that’s not just ‘a property’. That’s someone’s home.
“What stood out wasn’t just the scale of the response – it was the people. Volunteers who left work, farms and families on a Wednesday afternoon to protect a community that may be five minutes or hours from their own home.
“No ego. No spotlight. Just service. Tonight, our members are home recovering after seven intense hours on the fireground”.
The fire was deemed under control at 8.50pm. A total 480 hectares of land was burned, and at the time of going to press, the cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
