District firefighters were battling blazes on multiple fronts and across several fire zones after a ferocious storm passed through the region on Friday evening.
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Mid Murray, Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and Southern Border Zone Rural Fire Service firefighters were all engaged as lightning ravaged the region.
Calls reporting smoke sightings and fire came in within minutes of the Bureau of Meteorology officially issuing a severe weather warning just before 3pm.
With lightning, strong winds and rain and hail expected in some areas, it wreaked havoc.
There are reports of motorists having to clear roads of fallen trees in some areas, including near Blighty, to prevent from being stranded in the poor conditions.
In addition to RFS resources, heavy plant, private firefighting equipment and aerial firefighting was used across all fire zones.
Mid Murray firefighters tended to 10 separate fires started at Conargo, Jerilderie and Yanco during a lightning storm on Friday afternoon.
The fire in the Conargo region was at Boonoke Station, off the Conargo Rd.
The Mid Murray RFS responded with five trucks, and more than 20 firefighters.
The fire was started by lightning strikes, and burned more than 200 hectares
There were also a number of others that had started in the Southern Riverina area, including near Jerilderie, on Wilson Rd, Billabong Creek and Yanco, on Euroly Rd.
“The lighting strike north east of Jerilderie took a run across the landscape burning 455 hectares,” the RFS reported.
“All of our Jerliderie area brigades worked through the day with help from Southern Border and MIA.
“Some of these volunteers travelled well over two hours to assist.
“Thanks to all those that helped out, including heavy plant and local business houses that assisted in feeding and watering the troops.”
Mid Murray RFS district coordinator Gerard James said some of the fires started during the storm were still burning on Monday, but were deemed to be ‘under control’.
He said the total area burned from all 10 fires was between 7000 and 8000 acres, but luckily, there had been no injuries reported.
In the RFS Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area Zone, volunteers responded to incidents from “one end of our district to the other”.
Lightning strikes on Friday evening saw crews responding to fires from One Tree to Barellan, Coleambally to Roto, ably assisted by water bombing aircraft.
Up to 11 appliances from Narrandera and Murrumbidgee, along with water bombing aircraft also supported the Southern Border Zone at a major incident at Morundah.
The strength of the blaze and conditions did lead to a watch and act alert being issued for the region, but firefighters gained the upper hand by about 7pm on Friday.
Also in the MIA area was a fire in Willandra National Park, which saw volunteers supporting National Parks along with heavy plant.
The impacts of lightning in the region continued to be felt after the weekend, with additional blazes discovered in the Berrigan and Finley areas on Monday.
The Berrigan Rural Fire Service responded to a fire about 7.45pm Monday at the rear of the Corowa Common on Neil St.
Out within an hour, it is believed to have been caused by lightning.
Finley’s Rural Fire Service was also engaged on Monday about 3.15pm to a haystack fire on Myrtle Park Rd.
Most likely caused by the lightning storm, the Finley brigade had support from Blighty and Myrtle Park.
The fire was officially declared under control about 10.30am, and handed back to the property owner.
Monitoring continues for any reignition.
Landholders and other locals are encouraged to keep a close watch for any signs of fires over coming days.
It can sometimes take several days for fires started by lightning to be spotted, particularly in trees where the fire can smoulder inside the dense wood before taking hold.
If you spot a fire, or smoke, call 000 immediately.