Firey start to hazardous season
ARSONISTS are believed to have been responsible for the season’s first major bushfire in Port Stephens, which burnt out 500 hectares of Tomaree National Park last Sunday week.
Fanned by strong winds, the blaze swept from Gan Gan Road at Anna Bay to the hills of Fingal Bay. In fact, flames from backburning came within metres of homes in Fingal’s Boulder Bay and Rocky Point roads.
Fire investigators are also trying to determine if a Hexham bushfire one week later was also deliberately lit. Fire crews backed by a water-bombing helicopter worked through last Sunday to extinguish the blaze at Hexham Swamp.
Handfulls of residents under threat from flying embers and smoke, meanwhile, fled their homes on August 30 in Fingal Bay, taking with them treasured photographs, insurance, bank and legal papers, on the advice of police patrolling the streets.
The nearby Fingal Haven retirement village and aged care facility in Farm Road was put on alert, but quick thinking by fire units to initiate backburning averted any forced evacuations.
Noel and Sandra Hughes said they decided to grab a few possessions, jump in their car and head for the Fingal Bay Sports & Recreation Club at the height of the fire.
“The Police had been up and down the street warning residents to prepare to evacuate and at around 3pm we decided to evacuate,” said Noel, ex-Navy, and Sandra, ex-Army.
“There were about 30 people at the club at the time.
“We weren’t worried ... we have complete faith in the people doing their job and what a great job they did. I take my hat off to the firies, Police and SES.”
Tributes were also paid to the Fingal club management and bistro owners Grant and Rosie Bendiech, who provided 130 meals through the night to the workers and another 100 suppers after midnight.
Lower Hunter Rural Fire Service CO, Supt Jayson MacKellar said around 30 units supported by 150 firefighters and three helicopters battled for more than 24 hours to contain the blaze.
“Overnight crews conducted backburning operations in the Rocky Point Road and Boulder Bay Road areas to establish and strengthen containment lines.”
He advised all Port Stephens residents to prepare their properties for an extremely hazardous summer season ahead.
Copyright Fighter Force News
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