A 60-year old Bald Hills man has been fined and convicted over a 32-hectare bush and grass fire that threatened Creswick earlier this year.
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Three hundred firefighters in 57 trucks, three dozers and five water bombing aircraft descended on Creswick on January 21, as more than 80 residents fled to emergency evacuation centres in the region.
Graham Gray had been welding on the total fire ban day, Ballarat Magistrates Court heard yesterday, when the ground ignited and grew into an out-of-control fire.
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Pepe Brown said Gray lived on a rural property and on January 21 he was adding vertical brackets to steel poles with a welder.
He attempted to stop the fire with buckets of water from a tank 30 metres away, but the ground was not sufficiently cleared and the flames got away, the court heard.
Gray sustained significant burns while trying to douse the blaze and was transported by ambulance to Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital.
The court heard he was “extremely remorseful” for his actions.
Magistrate Ian Von Einem said it could have been even worse.
“Far be it for me to tell you what the dangers are when a fire can get away,” he said.
“You suffered injuries yourself but it could have been a lot worse.
“Deaths can occur.”
Gray pleaded guilty to conducting a high risk fire in a fire danger period and was fined $2500.
On January 21, a CFA watch and act warning was issued to Creswick at 3.30pm, with erratic winds confronting fire crews battling the fast moving blaze.
The fire spread through private land, across the railway line, into bush and then into pine plantations.
More than 80 people took refuge at the Newlyn Recreation Reserve, which was set up as one of the evacuation points.
Water bombing aircraft were able to slow the fire down, allowing the ground crews to come in and extinguish it.
rachel.afflick@fairfaxmedia.com.au
