By Kyra Gillespie
Firefighters came from far and wide to battle the fierce flames consuming the Bunyip State Park over the weekend.
Travelling over five hours, two strike teams from Eskdale Fire Brigade started at 4am on Saturday 3 and didn’t get to bed until 4am Sunday.
“We’ve seen some amazing sights; one house Tonimbuk which had been evacuated had been graded right down either side,” firey Mick Taylor explained.
“By the looks of it, somebody came at random and did it and it saved the house; the pool, the shed, the land – there was nothing left. It was all scorched. But the house stood strong.
“That to us just proved the community resilience around here. We thought: ‘This is a community that knows how to look after themselves.”
While not local, the fireys keenly felt the sense of loss for the community.
“One of the worst parts is when you see losses in assets and stock,” Mr Taylor continued.
“We attended a big hay fire in Tonimbuk, and watched the whole lot go up in flames.
“You know that someone, come next winter, won’t have feed for their stock. There’s a story behind everything.”
Bill Wilson has been volunteering with the CFA since he was 15 years old.
Now in his 52nd year, the veteran firefighter believes that forest mismanagement was in part to blame for the severity of the Bunyip State Park fires.
“This whole place has been smashed. The Government needs to get more serious about burning off bushland before something like this happens,” Mr Wilson said.
“I guess you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” he added.
Mr Wilson said he was shocked by the dwindling numbers of young people joining the CFA.
“Apart from our young boy Ian, there’s not a lot of young people signing up.
“It’s important that they do, and you don’t just have to be on the frontline, there’s lots of different roles that they can do; you can be on the radio for example, and we always need someone to stay with the truck.”
The Eskdale Brigade, who headed home on Sunday afternoon, said the volunteers at the Nar Nar Goon staging area had been “brilliant.”
“They’ve been second to none; we’ve always had plenty of food and water to keep us going.”
Wodonga West volunteers David Vile and Gary Lockhart were part of the team that stopped the fire from jumping the Freeway on Sunday night.
“The fire was travelling towards the Freeway and we just got it,” David said.
“We had the big power lines to watch out for, and we were heading towards Labertouche when we were called back to where it was threatening to jump the freeway.
“We did a U-turn and got there just in time and got it under control at about 3 or 4pm.”
Fellow volunteer Gary said that no matter how far one travels with the CFA, the camaraderie between brigades is always strong.
“When you first start you get a bit anxious, but you just have to have faith in yourself, in your gear and in your team.
“Everyone looks out for each other; you get on with anyone, no matter the brigade.”
The staging ground saw around 1000 through for breakfast on Sunday morning, and similar figures for lunch and dinner.
“Just amazing effort from all involved from volunteers, SES, CFA,MFB Nar Nar Goon Cricket Club, RRT, Narre Emergency Food Truck, our wonderful community for all the kind and generous donations and to all the companies who have donated,” volunteer Leeanne Hayes said.
“Big shout out to both Coles and Woolies in the local areas for donating a multitude of bread, fruit, veggies, biscuits , water, tea coffee milk etc.
“This is why I’m proud to be an Aussie!”
