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The brigade was called out to two fires at midnight Wednesday evening.

The 4.4, with Alan, Andy, Bevan and Steveo met FCO Fish at the larger fire on Sainsbury Loop and extinguished it before moving on to a smaller one nearby. Although they were only grass tree fires, the whole operation took three hours with crew members returning home around 3:30.

October, traditionally the brigade’s busiest month, started on cue with a fire Monday morning.

An escaped ember from a small burning pile of cleared fallen branches started a fire in a large, dead tree. Fortunately a neighbour with a mobile water tank and the owner’s garden hose were able to keep the fire under control until the brigade’s 4.4 arrived.

Andy, Alan, Bevan, Mick and Tony spent about half an hour putting out the fire, high in the tree. Fish was incident controller.

Saturday night (after the footy!) the brigade was called out to a fire but John, Mike, Pete, Todd and Tony were stood down when it turned out to be a burning pile of cleared brush. FCOs Fish and Matt were on the scene for that one.

The Brigade’s 4.4 tanker was in action Thursday assisting Wilyabrup in putting out a burn that threatened escaping into the coastal bush.

Steveo, Emma and Tony joined the Wilyabrup captain and the Busselton 12.2 water tanker in dousing the fire. The 12.2 fed the 4.4 while Emma, on the cannon, and Tony and Steveo on the back hoses extinguished the fire in less than an hour. They were also treated to some spectacular views down the coast.

The brigade welcomed a new addition to its fleet, a 3.4U tanker, this week. It replaces the old 1.4 .

The 3.4U (U for Urban) carries 3,600 litres of water of which 600 are reserved for the deluge safety system.  This compares to the 1,000 litres in the old truck, which did not have a deluge system.  It seats 6, unlike the old truck’s 5. It has three delivery outputs along with two reel hoses and two monitors with statics.

On the input side it has two collectors along with one direct  tank fill collector and one 100mm suction input for drafting. The pump can output at 1,850 litres per minute at 700kPa (or 7 bar for the bike riders.)  It can operate in stationary or pump and roll mode with the pump coupled to an independent engine.

The truck has similar safety features as the current 4.4, with an automatic vehicle locator,  an external deluge system, radiant heat shields and in cab air units.  An additional new welcome feature is a 32 litre fridge, along with two ladders.

“This new truck underscores the confidence the City of Busselton and DFES have in our brigade,” Captain Matt Muir said, on receiving the truck on behalf of the brigade. “The extra 2,000 litres of water  along with the space for an extra person will make a significant improvement in our effectiveness,” he said.  Matt would like to thank Blake Moore at the City of Busselton for doing the feasibility work  to get the Brigade the  bigger crew / water capacity appliance. It is a great result for the Brigade and the Yallingup Community.”

The old 1.4 originally was with the Yallingup Siding Brigade prior to the merger with Rural. It was over 20 years old and according the last captain of the Siding Brigade, Mark Standish, it was the first of its kind in the state.  For the first six months of its life it was used for demonstration purposes. The 1.4’s last operational role was in late May when it and the 4.4 were in Jarrahwood after the town was evacuated; doing clear up work along the  Vasse Hwy so that the road could be reopened.