Category: Public

Just a quick glimpse of some of the effort that goes into preparing the team for efficient action on the fireground. Consistency in training is always the key to effective responses and is essential for all personnel. Photographs provided by Training Officer, Mike Gray, from the brigade’s session on 19th December, the day after the Hebrides Close fire.

18th December 2023 all three of the Yallingup Rural appliances attended at Hebrides Close. This occurred in between two extreme fire danger rating days which was of high concern to the managing authorities. Both the Yallingup Rural and Dunsborough Brigades responded swiftly and brought the fire under control. The YRVBFB team assisted with a short, sharp exercise of mopping up and preventing further spread. The Fire Control Officer (FCO) monitored the area for flare-ups for a further seven days.

A very generous donation received in 2022 through our Donate page allowed the initiation of a project for a much-needed redevelopment of the Fire Station headquarters. The exact final dollar cost is an estimate, but based on the work done so far, the fundraising target for the Brigade’s contribution is $120,000. To reach our target, we have constructed a separate, dedicated website for fundraising for the project.
For further details on the overall project, please visit this link, YRVBFB Fire Station Redevelopment.

Yallingup Rural works closely with our good friends in the Bushfire Ready community, who do a marvellous job helping residents and owners prepare their properties for and mitigate the risks associated with bushfires. This impacts the number and severity of incidents to which the Brigade has to respond, thereby speeding up our reaction time for those fires we must attend.

There is a wealth of good advice now available on their new website, which you can access easily by clicking on https://ydbfr.com/

On 16th October, a fire started on a Thornton Road property. The hot, dry and windy conditions fanned the flames into a fierce bushfire. A rapid response was essential.

All available appliances from Yallingup Rural VBFB were engaged along with many from our neighbouring brigades, bringing up to fifteen the total number of appliances battling the blaze. DFES were represented along with approximately 60 volunteers on the fireground, some reporting for duty several days in a row.
The Parks and Wildlife spotter plane was also deployed as the fireground extended over 50 acres.

An “emergency warning” was issued by DFES until the teams on the fireground could confirm the danger level could be reduced to “watch and act”.

Frontline firefighting continued for seven days before the operation could be moved into a ‘blacking out’ phase. Thorough and knowledgeable blacking out was a vital part of the process, as the re-ignition risk was high. This has continued for three weeks, with volunteers in attendance every day.

At the time of this posting, that work is now considered complete, but daily monitoring is still being carried out.

The Brigade FCOs, Mark Fisher and Matty Muir, jointly extended their appreciation of the commitment shown by the many brigade members involved in bringing this incident under control.

It may not be fully known that the various fire brigades around the country all pitch in when a call to arms is sent out. During June, in what is mainly an off-season period for us here in the southwest, Yallingup Rural BFB contributed the services of long-serving member Alan Yardley to fire mitigation work in the Kimberley.

Yallingup Rural was one of several brigades involved, including Margaret River, Bunbury, Witchcliffe, Wallcliffe, Balingup, and Gelorup. Alan is one of our most experienced fireys and was allocated to various duties, including driving one of the two heavy tankers that were deployed in the week-long exercise. All the team shared and rotated the roles of driving, crew leading and lighting up.

Below, clockwise from top left: Fitzroy Crossing SES buildings; 5 ha burn area at Derby; Fuel reduction; Heavy and light Tankers at Derby Foreshore burn; Wildlife in the air; Hot work.