Carrum Downs Bushfire 20/01/09

A grass and scrub fire burnt through an area of natural ti-tree and scrub in Carrum Downs in an area known as the Ballarto Rd Triangle at the rear of an Aldi Supermarket store. A part of this area is a future freeway reserve and has many foot tracks winding around and through it. On the eastern flank of the fire were homes in an estate called Botany Park and most occupants were on their roofs with garden hoses trying to prevent an ember attack. Ground CFA crews were working the fire hard with the assistance of a Type 2 helitack 331 when a weather change came through altering the progress of the fire and flaring up the fire towards homes. One house suffered damage to its roof even though the owners were wetting it down; but crews were on-scene quickly to bring it under control. The Aldi carpark became the staging area for the call and was driven from Patterson River brigades Mobile Command Van. Bayside Council Rangers also assisted with two slip-on units in the fire fight and later in the call members from the Wildlife Rescue co-ordinated the removal of many fire-affected possums in the burnt area. Video & Words by Keith Pakenham, CFA Public Affairs