Good luck out there Andrew, stay safe mate.
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Good luck out there Andrew, stay safe mate.
Evenings All.
A good day on the fire front.Had the fire come out of the forrest in another sector,all was good.
Long hours pedaling the grader putting in "containment lines"
We have plenty of gear from the Bauxite mine helping out,mainly dozers and 16H graders.
Pics coming,WWWs letting me down at the moment.Most are snaps on the move from the grader.
Working all weekend,sunday is a worry.40deg+ and windy.
Andrew
With the cooler weather in Vic they sent the large air tankers over to WA. Bomber 390 and 391. I saw one of them in action on their first deployment in Australia at the West Wodonga fire. I think CFA sent 156 personnel over. Best of luck over there.
Pics from the grader cab.
Apologies for the quality,most were taken whilst moving.
Smoke at my place,50km from the fire at lunchtime wednesday.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/731.jpg
Following a 16H CAT grader into no mans land.I dont know what they were thinking,grade an existing road and call it a firebreak.We went in 10km or more,it got darker and darker we were told to turn around and evacuate as the fire was almost overhead.NOT HAPPY was an understatement!!!!
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/732.jpg
Was then sent into the neighboring shire to put in containment lines.Again not happy,he in charge of this sector was protecting family interests.A break that wide and many km long,QUITE ANGRY now.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/733.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/734.jpg
Defenders of the fire.Unsure if there were the same 130.The close shot is a tender from Lower King(Albany)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/735.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/735.jpg
A brief visit to hell.A couple of pics on aproach to a wildfire.It was still daylight,5.55pm acording to camera data.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/736.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/737.jpg
The sky turned black,the sun looked like a small beacon.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...016/02/563.jpg
The bright flashes were unburnt gasses from the forrest and an unharvested oat crop,they were exploding into fireballs above us.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...016/02/564.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...016/02/565.jpg
Have a close look at this pic.STUPIDITY,MADNESS,BRAVENESS!!!! Look at the fireballs above these farmers cutting an old rabbit netting fence so I could fill the drain to allow fire vehicles in.They chased the fire down and stopped it.That fire would have made Quindanning last nite.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...016/02/566.jpg
Once the fireballs stopped it went dark again,then came the firestorm.It was brief but very scary.Dont want to see it again.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...016/02/567.jpg
After the fire crossed the road I continued to where I was assigned,was awesome to see these blokes drop in.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...016/02/568.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...016/02/568.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...016/02/502.jpg
White out???? Laying down firebreaks in the dark with dust and smoke traveling the same way.I did find a fence line after it wrapped arond the grader!!!!
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/738.jpg
I was working in a different area today so no after pics,a few pics from today showing the billy goat country and the fuel loading.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/739.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/740.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/741.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/742.jpg
Will get some more pics over the weekend.
Andrew
The Defender that missed the close up.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/02/730.jpg
Andrew
There was supposed to be a C130 bomber today,didnt see it,they had trouble out west so it could have been there.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gillie
The dozers were having trouble pushing a break thru the forrest on our side,I believe the C130 was to drop fire retardant on the break once finished.It was a mild day today so perhaps they saved a few coins for sunday.
Andrew
You're doing a great job mate.Quote:
Originally Posted by LandyAndy
Getting many comments like that on site.In most fires down here they are lucky to see 1 grader in operation.Its pretty impressive to see the firebreaks or containment lines as they call them when 2 or 3 graders run the same break together.Quote:
Originally Posted by KeithMac
A few of the close to Perth brigade people tell me they wish they had graders to play with.
Andrew
Good job Andy. Hope you all stay safe as I heard this morning that Williams and Collie have now been put on alert.
Caitlin was saying our place was enveloped in thick smoke yesterday morning.
What size breaks are they putting in? We ended up going 90m around the camp and was the only thing that stopped the fire taking the camp. Just finished them as the storm hit. I remember standing 10m in the break as OSC and the flames came across the break a good 50m. Even so ember attacks still continued and set fire to the wet mess, but that was controlled with bugger all damage and spot fires starting a good 2kms ahead of the fire. So if we had run standard breaks the camp would have gone. It is certainly amazing how a fire front generates its own wind and causes the fire storm. Save this company 2 camps and still get made redundant.
I would not say fun, but certainly is an adrenalin rush fighting fires and when a fire storm comes in close. Even better when you can second big mining equipment. The last big fire at MAC I had 2/3 of their Dozers and Graders (leaving some so production could continue), their water carts including the Haulpack 70 tonne water carts. Interesting seeing them driving down a sealed road deluging fire fronts. They did stop fronts dead at some points. No water bombers though.
From what I heard the C130 is down at Northcliffe as they are in real trouble.
Anyway take care and if things go pear shaped you will have plenty of places to bail to including our place.
Keep us updated as I am up in Kambalda atm.
Cheers
Craig
Thanks so much for the great pics Andy, I hope you don't mind if I pinch a couple to send to some mates overseas so they can see what a bushfire looks like. You are doing a great job and thanks to all the fireos, local, interstate, volunteer and professional, they do an amazing job under the most dangerous of conditions, I have nothing but admiration for these blokes.