UPDATE, 5pm:
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Country Fire Authority District 15 duty officer Kade Dowie has praised efforts of crews as a spate of fires broke out across Ballarat on Sunday afternoon.
He said the fire on the Western Freeway had now been contained, but crews would remain on the scene later this evening and overnight to patrol and mop up the flanks of the fire.
The fire had been headed in a northerly direction due to the strong winds and was contained before reaching Olliers Road in Mount Rowan.
The cause of the fire is under investigation with CFA and Victoria Police following standard policy.
Duty Officer Dowie said there had been 20 CFA appliances on scene attending to the fire, as well as a fire bombing helicopter and an observation air craft.
He said Forest Fire Management Victoria is also on scene to help clean up trees in the area, but the early indication is there has been no structural damage and no injuries, however there is the potential for fences to have been damaged.
He could not clarify whether the fires on either side of Creswick Road on the Western Freeway were part of the same fire or separate, and determining this would be part of the investigation.
Meanwhile, another grass fire in Napoleons started between 2.30pm and 2.45pm on Sunday.
Duty Officer Dowie said this fire had been contained “really quickly” by the 12 crews on scene.
The fire was about five hectares in size and there had been no damage or injuries.
The cause of this fire is also under investigation.
UPDATE, 4.15pm: The fire near Napoleons has now been declared under control.
However, fire crews are expected to remain on scene for some time and smoke may still be visible in the area.
It is not known how it started.
As for the fire near the Western Freeway, it is now listed as being contained.
UPDATE, 3.55pm: One of the fires is now under control and firefighters are focusing their efforts on the fire closer to Invermay.
There are currently 21 units battling that particular blaze.
However, another fire has broken out in Napoleons, to the south of Ballarat.
Sixteen units are currently fighting that fire, which is burning in the bush near Natrass Road.
Winds are still hovering around 50km/h, although there have been 63km/h gusts recorded from the south-east.
2.30pm: Two out-of-control grassfires have started near the Western Freeway to Ballarat’s north.
One fire is burning near the Creswick Road/Midland Highway overpass, while another is burning further along the highway towards Invermay.
The fires are being fuelled by winds up to 50km/h.
There are at least six CFA units on scene at the Creswick Road fire, while there are 13 at the Invermay blaze.
Air support has also been requested.
The fires started just after 2pm and are about two kilometres apart.
It is not yet know how they started, although police are investigating.
People are advised to avoid the area.
More to come.