Download part 2 - Country Fire Authority

Investigative Report
Location: Ballan
Damage Caused: Six houses destroyed
Description of Accident:
Tony and his friend Matthew were camping in the Logan State Forest alongside the banks of
the Walla Walla River. This was their first camping trip alone. Monday 20 February was the
last day of their trip before returning home and it was turning out to be a blistering hot day
with a strong northerly wind blowing. Tony decided to cool off in the river, while Matthew
decided to head off into the forest in search of some dry twigs and branches to use as fuel
for a campfire.
By the time Matthew arrived back at the campsite, he was beginning to feel hungry. He set up
his camp fire by clearing a small area on the ground and piled the dry twigs and branches on
top of each other. Lighting a match to the twigs, Matthew waited for the fire to burn. Once the
fire was blazing, he started to cook the sausages on a metal tray placed over the fire.
Refreshed from his swim in the river, Tony joined Matthew for lunch. After eating the
sausages, Tony put out the fire by throwing a bucket of water over the flames. The fire
appeared to have gone out, so Matthew and Tony packed up their camping equipment and
headed back through the forest to their car, which had been left in the car park at the
entrance of the State Forest.
Unfortunately Tony and Matthew had not taken enough care in putting out their camp fire.
Heat was still contained within the dry twigs and branches at the base of the fire.
Subsequently, the strong winds blew sparks from the smouldering twigs into nearby trees,
starting a small fire.
Within minutes the fire began to spread through the forest into neighbouring properties
bordering the forest. Small fires were blown ahead of the main fire, edging dangerously
close to a number of houses.
Seeing the fire approaching her house, Mrs Smith rang her local fire brigade's "fire call"
number and reported the fire. Looking at her kitchen clock, Mrs Smith discovered it was
2.00 in the afternoon.
The fire brigade arrived at the fire scene five minutes after the call. After fighting for an hour
to control the fire, firefighters were unable to save six houses. It took three hours for
firefighters to control the blaze.