Up in smoke: experiment backfires

An experimental burn by the Department of Environment and Conservation re-ignited to rage out of control at the weekend threatening homes and burning about 360ha around Benger Swamp Nature Reserve.

Ninety firefighters battled the fire supported by three fixed wing water bombers, a helicopter and 24 bushfire appliances and five heavy earthmoving vehicles.

A number of kangaroos died from heat exposure and three quarters of the reserve which is home to the critically-listed Australasian Bittern went up in flames.

The fire was reported at 10.20am on Saturday and grew quickly to threaten homes and South Western Highway as it burned 24ha of private property causing damage to crops and fences.

A 3ha burn was conducted by the DEC near the site on Thursday which had been mopped up and listed as safe following a Saturday morning inspection completed at 9.30am.

District manager for the Wellington district Drew Griffiths said the DEC would conduct a full assessment of the damage and make repairs.

‘‘We’re putting our hand up to say it looks like it’s come from our burn unfortunately and we’ll be looking at ourselves very carefully to see how we missed that and then make sue we put things in place so that doesn’t happen again,’’ Mr Griffiths said.

Fire crews remained in the area until Sunday as they struggled to contain intense flames.

Benger dairy farmer Michael Giumelli watched the fire from his property just 500m away.

‘‘It was very strange because the fire was actually heading in a northwest direction even though the wind was coming from that way—I guess there was so much fuel down there that it had a mind of its own,’’ Mr Giumelli said.

‘‘If the wind were to have changed we would have been in the manure.’’