Two large bushfires rage in Victoria
Two large bushfires rage in Victoria
2 April 2009
published by news.smh.com.au
Australia — Two massive fires are burning in national parks at either end of Victoria with the cause of one, a 6,000-hectare blaze near Portland in the state’s far west, under police investigation.
In the east of the state, a fire which started last Sunday week at the A-Up Track near Cann River, now covers 9,700 hectares and has resulted in the Princess Highway being shut twice.
Smaller fires are also being fought in remote country around Cann River but no property is under threat.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) said 174 firefighters are battling the fires around the clock with eight aircraft – fixed wing and helicopters – water bombing the blazes.
The DSE said a track is being pushed in by bulldozers to allow crews access to the area.
At the fire at the Lower Glenelg National Park northwest of Portland, fire crews have created a 32km “black edge” perimeter around the blaze and have been dropping incendiary devices within the area in a back-burning operation.
Police, DSE and Country Fire Authority (CFA) investigators are looking into the cause of the fire.
DSE spokesman John Amor says communities in the area have been concerned by the immense amount of smoke coming from the blaze but there was nothing to fear.
He said police were setting up road blocks where the smoke is expected to temporarily cut visibility on roads.
