Charlotte Varcoe
IT has been 78 years since the last Crater Lakes fire with long-term Mount Gambier resident, Dorothy Koop, remembering the ordeal.
When she was just four years old, Ms Koop recalled seeing the devastation from the fire which was started by a bullet ricochet at the old rifle range on January 21, 1944.
It was reported in The Border Watch the next day that the fire started at around 4 o’clock the evening before with about 30 volunteers helping to extinguish the blaze.
By 2.30 the following morning, the fire was under control.
“I remember my father, Thomas, coming home after fighting the fire and he was covered in soot and dirt,” Ms Koop said.
“He came home to milk the cows because Mum had the two kids at the time, and once he was done he went back to the fire to help.”
Ms Koop said she also remembered her mother and father speaking about how devastating the fire was with volunteers using sand and buckets to fight the fire.
“It was very different to how they deal with fires today,” she said.
“They had to use sand and buckets because they didn’t have the equipment we have now.”
Remembering seeing the area after the fire for the first time, Ms Koop said it was “scarred and black” with everything burnt down.
“The entire area was burnt, so it was a bigger fire than this time, but I am looking forward to watching the vegetation grow back,” she said
“It was amazing to watch last time.”
As for the fire last week, Ms Koop said she followed the incident extensively on social media.
“I sent photos to my sons who don’t live here anymore and they couldn’t believe it,” she said.
“Some of the photos people took were brilliant and especially at night-time.”
Ms Koop congratulated volunteers on their efforts to stamp out the fire and said the modern technology for fighting fires was a blessing.
“It is so much easier for firefighters these days with the trucks and equipment because we have the technology to fight fires properly,” she said.
“There was nothing like that when my dad was fighting fires back in the day.”
Following the recent devastation of the Crater Lakes, the area is now back under control of Mount Gambier City Council which is urging people to stay away from the area until the council advises it is safe.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated by police with anyone with any information encouraged to call CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.
