About Us Contact Us Our History Our Area Our Appliances Members Info Members SharePoint
Protecting the Community - Collingood Park Bushland June 2011
Late on Friday afternoon, 17th June, the Brigade was paged to assist 643A (Bundamba Urbans) at a fire in bushland between New Chum and Collingwood Park. Tracks in the vacinity were inaccessible and it seemed some challenging off road driving would be required to reach the fire well in the distance.
Ripley Valley 52 with George, Steve P and Matt P attended and met up with 643A. Sure enough the fire was quite visible in the distance but no simple way to reach it. 643A went back to station and for the next two hours RV52 tried everywhere to find a useable track in.
The smell of smoke covered the suburbs of Redbank Plains and Collingwood Park and eventually we got within walking distance in one of the back streets of Collingwood Park. It was actually a 400 metre hike to reach the fire through the scrub at night time but no complaints.
There was actually two separate areas of fire separated by nearly 300 metres. The first one was out of the wind and easy to put out.
The second area of fire had a bit more life thanks to exposure to the wind.
A quick recce told us that there were many tracks, most full of mud, that could be back burnt from. It truely was an eye opening experience to be surrounded by wet bushland and mud and yet to see grass fire with 2-3 metre flame height. Such is the fuel load of much of the bushland around the Ipswich region.
Some quick back burning undertaken to contain the fire.
Matt watching his handy work.
George watches on as the fire dies down.
Area made safe, Code 4. Time to knock off.
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)