Organisers of Lexton music festival Rainbow Serpent say they are proud of the team who quickly controlled a fire only 400 metres from the festival campsite.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A lightning strike caused a fire at the southern boundary of the festival on Friday afternoon.
Festival staff witnessed the strike and immediately contacted the event’s emergency control centre who enacted their fire plan with firefighting units immediately deployed.
Rainbow Serpent organisers said they were proud of their staff, service providers and the local CFA who were able, with the help of rainfall, to bring the fire under control quickly.
Festival emergency services coordinator Matt Wood said event staff worked with emergency stakeholders to bring the situation under control.
“There was a fantastic collaboration between Victoria Police, CFA and the festival’s emergency response resources,” he said.
“The extensive plans and structures we had in place worked very well.”
Mr Wood said Rainbow Serpent Festival worked incredibly hard with key stakeholders to provide management plans to address all type of possible emergencies.
There were no injuries from the event.
Authorities had issued a watch and act alert for residents in Amphitheatre, Chute, Lexton and Mount Lonarch following reports of the blaze about 3.45pm along Jack Smiths Lane, which is close to the festival’s campsite.
People at Rainbow Serpent were advised to stay at the festival but move away from the fire.
Police were already at the festival and fire crews travelled to the scene, bringing the fire under control about 4.30pm.