My first firefighting experience
by Farmer

It's very difficult to put into so few words, experiences you encounter that are life changing, and expect the reader to understand what the hell you are on about. Well I'm about to start on you. What recent events could possibly be of interest to the general reader right about now? Auz open? No. Try bushfires. Most importantly bushfires that affect a person directly. They happen each year and if we are not directly involved through family and friends caught up in them, then they are little more than an Oh or Ah at newstime. So long as they dont affect me.

We need produce from the land, and the few remaining produce growers, who have for years been on the receiving end of ever dwindling profits and income due to cheap imports. Their kids have gone to the city, wise enough to realise there is no future in the land, and thats the way the government wants it. So left behind are the most proud persons dedicated to continuing excellent quality produce as their forefathers were.

One day nature takes a bite and and tests their resilience.
I'm 50 years old and have never been involved with the local CFA in Highlands, though I have often threatened to become a member.

Four days ago 774 AM radiio broadcast a message that a fire in our hobby farm area was becoming an increasing problem. I know very few locals in the area (which has now changed), and rang a neighbour, who has been with the CFA for a period, and asked if I could help. This was the day after the tragic accident in that fire which claimed a life. Though I was not a member, he offered me a position on whats called a "Slip On". This is a private vehicle with a slip on water tank and pump. I took up his offer. His words were, "We will start at 9am and end up where we end up". After an emotionally charged night, the morning came, and into the business at hand we went. The fire had gone through the day before, and our job was "mopping up" with the help of 3 tankers from local areas and 6 private utes. I learnt so much that day. Vehicles like tankers only having 6 minutes max of water per load. 6 times more if you add foam. Each dam in the vicinity has a trailer with a pump supplied by the CFA, called a quick fill, for tankers and slip ons to refill. Takes about 2 minutes to fill a tanker and seconds to fill a ute. The drivers of these tankers are no less than heroes. Night time, fire around you, unfamilar territory and paddocks with rocks and holes. Any of which can tip you over. Ability to navigate by stars.

The local grader or bull dozer driver cuts a "control line". Basically a road around the fire thats bare earth, so paddock grass wont jump. It does though. If not that night, but the next or next or the next. The commander of the incident, keeps close lookout on all areas of the fire. Directing trucks to areas he or she feels will be the next problem. Local knowledge of the exact area is a must. Knowing where there are trees that will retard the fires spread up front. Knowing where certain types of grass will do the same. This knowledge comes with knowing your area. The Granite Hills fire started with the same lightning strike that occured 3 years ago and three years before it. The area is a renowned fire corridor. I asked my neighbour why... The granite rocks you see in paddocks, that are so well balanced on each other like marbles, began their life under the ground as flat layers of molten lava. As erosion over the years occured, the rocks became exposed and the wind rounded them into marbles. Like an iceberg, they also continue under the ground, becoming a giant lightning rod. Lightning hits the boulders, and surrounding grassland, and add the valley corridor of winds in that area, and you have an instant problem. Thats how the Granite Hills fire started again this year.

With my head spinning at such simplistic explanations, we set off to make sure the fire is out. As a complete novice, it appears all is OK. Not for long. Old swamps that have century old decomposition under what you can see, commonly called peat bogs, can burn for months under ground with limited air. When we arrived at the point of the start of the fire days earlier with an opposite wind, the grass was off and racing again. That was to head south to Yea. Putting that out, we continued on "patrol" around the other 700 HA that had burnt out. Along the way, 2 CFA trucks manned by locals, also arrived . It can take weeks to be completely sure a fire is out. Slow internal burning of branches, logs etc, may not be visible to the eye, but will make their presence felt shortly after.
We found many tree branches bright red and throwing embers in a strong Northerly. One truck put 3 loads of water on one branch to extinguish it. Furthur down, an ember from that tree had broken control lines and was off into unburnt country. Out of nowhere more trucks materialise. If I learnt anything out of this experience, it would be the that these guys are good. Its like they have a 6th sense. Obviously calls went out on "hunches" that things could turn out bad, and more trucks arrive. After assisting with the problem, they are gone as fast as they came, off to another more important area. Air support was called in for one water dump on the hottest area. The helicopter flew from the Grampians to Highlands, dumped one load and flew back to the Grampians. Where in the confusion do you dump the water? Park a CFA truck at the start of the dump area. Quote the truck number on its roof, and the helicopter dumps water from the roof toward the direction you request. These guys are good.

Out of this experience, apart from meeting new people who are our neighbours, and being offered lunch and a cold drink of water by the families of the firefighters, was a content feeling of contribution, as little as it was in comparison to what these fine people offer. The faceless warriors of the fire fighters. I would like to pass on my best wishes to the family who lost their husband/father in the Highlands fires. Never be afraid to offer help to these selfless persons if you get the chance. They are the last true heroes.

With new technology such as GPS etc, their job WOULD be made easier, much easier and exact. Problem is no money. As a technician, I felt I was back in the 50's. One noticeable problem was poor communication between vehicles less than 1km away. Solutions I could solve. Though walking away satified, I also walked away disappointed that technology has still not reached the bush.

Prior to the first phone call asking assistance from me, I was working for HSV7 at the Auz open. I indicated to the powers that be, that I had to go. There was no problem in that, and best wishes extended. Yesterday they offered to pay for my days away. I would like also to thank Colin Southey of HSV 7.