Country Fire Authority Grampians region vegetation reduction officer Tony Brady during yesterday’s burn in the Canadian Forest. PICTURE: JEREMY BANNISTER
Huge plumes of smoke and ash towered above Ballarat’s skyline yesterday afternoon during a large burn-off in the Canadian Forest.
Fire crews from the Country Fire Authority, Department of Sustainability and Environment and the East Victorian Forest Plantation Company controlled the 45-hectare burn yesterday inside a former blue gum plantation.
Owners of the plantation, EVFPC, used their own fire fighting appliances to help control the burn and teamed up with those from the DSE and the CFA.
Fifteen CFA units from Ballarat, Sebastopol and Buninyong attended the fire, along with four DSE firefighting members and eight EVFPC staff.
Beginning at 1pm, the fire took just over five hours to burn the majority of the plantation’s remains.
CFA Grampians region vegetation reduction officer Tony Brady said “near perfect” weather conditions provided a good opportunity to reduce fuel loads before the fire season.
“It’s also a really timely reminder for people to begin preparing their properties and get ready for the upcoming fire season,” he said.
Authorities warned smoke may remain in the area for some time.