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Ironically, the start of cool, damp weather brought the busiest day of the season for the brigade Saturday.

A nine o’clock callout had members turning up at a fire off Commanage Rd.  However, a quick response by Coastal brought the fire under control before our trucks arrived.

At 7:30 in the evening the brigade was called to a shed fire on Abbey Farm Road. Matty and Fish were first on the scene and Duncan, in the Light Tanker, was the first truck to turn up.  He was quickly followed by Coastal’s 2.4 and the brigade’s 4.4 and 1.4 . Alan was driving the 4.4 with Andy and Mike B, while David was driving the 1.4 with Bruce. Mike G joined Duncan in the LT.

The fire, thought to be caused by a faulty generator, had destroyed the roof and solar panels by the time the brigade arrived. With little wind, it was quickly contained and extinguished.  However burning fuel and exploding fuel tanks made the incident especially hazardous.

Fish and Matty returned the next day with the 4.4 to ensure there was no further risk.

The day was a good reminder that even though summer is over the risk of fires isn’t.

Fire Control Officers Chris and Fish put their hands up for the overnight shift at the Augusta (West Bay) fire Tuesday night.

The 4.4 crew headed home at 5:30 pm as the FCOs on the Light Tanker arrived for their briefing. Alan, Andy, Noel, Pete and Tony spent the day blacking out and extinguishing burning stags along with provding some asset protection in the Caves Road/Bussel Highway area. According to DFES 111 firefighters attended the blaze Tuesday. By the end of the day the fire was contained and under control and the alert level had been downgraded.

 

The brigade’s second shift left Carbunup by bus for the Augusta fire at 6am Tuesday to replace the overnight 4.4 crew.  Alan is driving with Andy crew leader and Noel, Pete and Tony as crew. David also went to Augusta and drove the LT back.

The overnight crew worked on protecting property on the edge of Augusta and blacking out. They headed back to Yallingup around 8:30 after putting in over 15 hours on the road.

The brigade’s 4.4 and Light Tanker were dispatched to the Augusta fire late Monday afternoon.  The 4.4 with Steveo driving and Mitch in command had Bevan, Mike B,  and Todd as crew.  Emma and Leisha were handling the LT.

The fire started near Bussell Highway and Westbay Retreat Caravan Park in Augusta and was reported around 1:15pm. DFES is managing the fire.

A quick response by Wilyabrup brigade  to a fire off Caves road on Wednesday limited damage to two paddocks.  The Wilyabrup light tanker was quickly followed by the Yallingup Rural 4.4 and 1.4 and the Coastal brigade trucks.

The fire, which is thought to have started behind a holiday rental, quickly spread through two paddocks towards an adjacent house before it was brought under control.

Fish was in control with Bob, Mike, Stevo  and Tony in the 4.4 and Bruce, David and Pete in the 1.4. Chris put the heat sensor to good use in the blacking out. Within a little more than 90 minutes the brigade members were returning to their holidays.

A reminder: open outdoor fires are not permitted and that includes fire pits.

Yallingup Rural was joined by the other local bush fire brigades in a training exercise Tuesday night.  It simulated a fire quickly approaching the area.  The brigades carried out property evaluations and, when determined to be defendable, trucks took up defensive positions around the property.

Crews from Dunsborough, both Yallingup brigades, Metricup, Wilyabrup and Eagle Bay split into two sectors, with Rural’s Matty Muir in charge of one and Dunsborough’s Dave Jenkins the other.   Crews were then designated locations to check and if feasible, defend. The exercise was complicated with a simulated burn- over and heat stroke.  At the end of the exercise the crews meet at the Rural shed for a debrief and refreshments.

Around 15 trucks took part with over 40 volunteers gaining valuable experience in working together.