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Difficult Day Ahead For Firefighters

Communities across the Latrobe Valley woke to a haze of smoke this morning as the fire north of Moe continues to develop - currently it covers 4200 hectares.

By Department Of Sustainability & Environment - 23rd January 2006 - Back to News

Walhalla Mechanics Institute at 9.30am

Erica Community Hall at 10.30am

Rawson Fire Station at 11.30am

Cowwarr Hall at 11.30am

Toongabbie Recreational Centre at 12.30pm

Glengarry Hall at 1.30pm

Willow Grove Community Hall at 3.00pm.

(Note that two additional meetings have been called at Erica and Rawson)

Incident Controller Bob Brinkman said that DSE and CFA fire crews did a fantastic job overnight, backburning on the southern edge to protect the township of Tanjil south.

"The fire broke on the northern and eastern edges and that will give us trouble today," Mr Brinkman said.

"The settlement under most threat at the moment is Moondarra, where there are approximately 20 houses - these have been door-knocked through the night to keep residents informed about the situation."

There are strong northerly winds predicted for this morning which will push the fire in a south-easterly direction towards Tyers.

Mr Brinkman said that this will mean the probable closure of the Tyers-Walhalla Road later today.

"That means that people in the Erica-Rawson and Walhalla areas must make enact their bushfire plans and make the decision whether to stay and defend their properties, or leave."

The fire at Black Range, 30 kilometres north of Heyfield is now contained and the fires closer to Heyfield on Weir Road are under control.

A number of small fires in the Bendoc fire district have all been contained at less than one hectare and a rappell crew is on its way to a going fire in that area.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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