THE sheer intensity of Friday’s bushfire near Nelson has been captured by a contracted forestry worker fighting the blaze on the frontline.
Mount Gambier’s Jaiden Bombski responded to help fight the fire, which burned through more than 900 hectares of pine plantations south of Portland-Nelson Road.
Threatening the Lower Glenelg National Park at the height of the fire, more than 150 firefighters from the CFS, Country Fire Authroity and other support agencies worked in tandem to bring the fire under control.
In the aftermath of the incident, the Country Fire Authority deputy incident controller Bernie Fradd said the incident could have been “far worse” if not for the efforts of firefighters on the frontline, who were supported by aircraft.
While the fire was declared contained on Sunday night, the fire ground will be scrutnized closely today and tomorrow as the temperature again climbs into the 30s, with tomorrow’s maximum in the Mount Gambier district forecast at 38.
The Nelson district blaze was one of 20 fires already extinguished by the CFA in south-west Victoria this fire season, including a major incident in the World Heritage-listed Budj Bim National Park near Heywood, where over 6000 hectares was burnt.
