The CFA attended five call-outs during Tuesday, a fire ban day for the area. Photo: Supplied.
Flames lit up the corner of Sutton St and Goulburn Rd on Tuesday as a pine tree in Echuca was set alight after an unfortunate strike of lightning.
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Within minutes, four fire trucks from Echuca and Echuca Village Brigades attended, along with two Mobile Unit utes to quickly extinguish the fire. Luckily, no one was injured.
After the wild weather, many Echuca residents and businesses suffered a power outage, with some distributors warning people to not expect power to be restored until 1.30am.
The pine tree was one of five call-outs the CFA received in the Campaspe region on Tuesday, a total fire-ban day for the area.
Other call-outs included another lightning strike issue, two power poles being down and a car accident in Toollen due to a fallen branch.
Four fire trucks attended the pine tree fire on Tuesday.
The commander, Paul Elso, said he was glad residents listened to the warnings and acted responsibly.
“We didn’t have any calls related to people’s behaviour so that was great because there were no risky behaviours contributing to the day,” he said.
“Thanks to everyone for not creating even more risk on a day like that.”
No call outs on Tuesday were due to irresponsible behaviour, according to the CFA.
Mr Elso said that so far, the summer had been much less concerning than originally assumed.
“All the predictions pre-season were really about it being a hot and dry season, but we certainly had more rain than was predicted,” he said.
CFA District 20 Commander Paul Elso said that people still need to be alert even during this wetter-than-expected summer. Photo: Aidan Briggs.
But just because the summer has been wetter-than-expected so far, the second half of the season is expected to be drier.
“We’re not expecting a really severe season, but in February and March it is going to be a bit more risk than there was in December and January,” Mr Elso said.
“We’ve been in this drying cycle - warmer - for the last couple of weeks, so we’re seeing things really dry out and not around here, but nearby there has been fire spreading.”
He asked that people still remember that we are in a fire danger period.
“Fire restrictions still apply so there’s no burning off and we need to be really cautious with those risky activities and follow the restrictions that apply to things like welding and cutting and things,” Mr Elso warned.
“When there’s lower temperatures and some rain about, people do tend to relax a bit and go outside the requirements. But so far we’ve had pretty good compliance right across summer.”
Ominous signs: Dark clouds loom above as the storm comes in on Tuesday afternoon. Photo: Nikala Dixon
Photo by
Nikala Dixon
For people in rural areas, Mr Elso does have extra suggestion.
“In rural environments particularly what we like people to do is the day after lightning strikes is to have a look around their properties, particularly in bush areas and around those haystacks and make sure there’s nothing smoldering,” he said.
“Have that awareness that things can pop up a day or two or three days later.”
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