Another Gunyulgup Valley Fire

The sixth fire in  Gunyulgup Valley in 11 months claimed a house Monday.

The fire was reported just before 5pm with heavy smoke blowing up the valley. By the time the first fire trucks arrived the Cairn Hill holiday rental property was ablaze and burning embers were in the adjacent paddocks. Yallingup Rural trucks, along with a Metricup truck and other brigades’ light tankers and neighbors took care of the embers and grass fires while the Dunsborough

and Yallingup Coastal urban trucks attacked the house fire. Fortunately, although it was extremely hot, there was little wind and the paddock fires were quickly brought under control. One fire in heavy bush required a bulldozer to make a path for a light tanker to extinguish burning scrub.

Despite a lot of hot and hard work the house was destroyed by the fire and by 9:30pm the fire was effectively out.

There were reportedly 18 appliances at the fire with 72 volunteer firefighters. An ambulance was called to assist one of the firefighters dealing with the house.

According to news reports, the owner of the property, who was there with his family at the time,  said the blaze was started by a power pole catching alight at the bottom of the valley, below the property.  Within less than 10 minutes the property was alight, he said.

Pictures of the Brigade Helping Urban Firefighters Cool Down the Fire