Community Update Newsletter
Tuesday 10th February 2009 Edition 1 version 2 PM
The Beechworth Fire started at approx 18:00
hrs on Saturday 7 February 2009 on Buckland
Gap Road. Current estimates put the area
burnt at approximately 30,000 hectares. The
actual fire perimeter is estimated at
approximately 280 kilometres.
This Beechworth Fire was one of 400 fires
burning across the State on Saturday.
Tragically two people lost their lives in the
initial run of the fire. Losses to date include 15
houses and just under 2,000 hectares of pine
plantation.
Community meetings have been held at
Baranduda, Yackandandah, Bright and Eskdale.
Meetings were well received with attendances
well in excess of 500 people at most of these
meetings.
NEWS FROM THE FIREGROUND
• Backburning work has been planned for
tonight. Residents in the Beechworth,
Murmungee, Kancoona, Kancoona South,
Glen Creek, Mudgeegonga, Dederang, Stanley
may see smoke from backburning within
containment lines around Mt Jack, Gluepot
Track and a pine plantation near Stanley and
near the Flagstaff Range.
• The threat message concerning the
Beechworth Fire in the Dederang area has
been downgraded. Previously reported fire
activity at around 18:00 hrs on 9 February
2009 has been contained and conditions
remain reasonably quiet at the moment.
• Residents of Dederang, Gundowring,
Gundowring Upper, Glen Creek, Kergunyah
South, Mudgeegonga and Running Creek
need to remain alert due to the level of fire
activity still in the area.
• Late afternoon winds and a low humidity
saw a run of fire into the Kiewa valley near
Mt Jack on Monday.
• Resources tasked to the Beechworth fire
today included:

approximately 514 personnel from CFA, DSE,
ACT (95), NSW Forrest (13), NSW Parks (21),
Hancock Plantations (48)

54 Tankers

36 Slip On Units

10 Forward Command Vehicles

3 Mobile Command Vehicles

9 Bull dozers

2 Graders

3 Bulk Water Carriers

2 Foam Units

2 Helicopters including the Sky Crane
Community Meeting Tomorrow
Wednesday 11 February 2009
Beechworth: 10:30am at the Town Hall, Ford
Street
Myrtleford: 1.00pm at the Savoy Club on the
Great Alpine Road
RELIEF CENTRES: are up and running in the
following areas:
• Indigo Shire – Chiltern Memorial Hall in Conness
St, Chiltern
• Alpine Shire – Senior Citizens Centre, Smith St,
Myrtleford.
CURRENT ROAD CLOSURES & OPENINGS
• Buckland Gap Rd at Tully Rd
• Buckland Gap Rd at Great Alpine Road
• Myrtleford Yack Rd at Morrisons Lane
• Great Alpine Road at Happy Valley Rd
• Kiewa Valley Hwy at Tawonga Gap Rd
• Yackandandah Dederang Rd at Kinchington
Rd
• Kiewa Valley Hwy at Yackandandah Dederang
Rd
• Gundowring Rd at Boyd Rd
• Stanley Rd at Silver Creek Rd
• Yackandandah Myrtleford Rd at Back Creek
Rd
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 Community Update Newsletter
Tuesday 10th February 2009
Road closures are due to be reviewed.
Information will be provided as it comes to
hand.
DANGEROUS TREE WARNING
Residents within the fire areas are reminded
that there are still a significant number of
falling trees and branches within the fire area.
“Dangerous” tree clearing by work crews will
continue as a high priority but trees will
continue to fall for several few weeks.
Edition 1 version 2 PM
Indigo Shire Council hotline-
Numbers for recovery, rebuilding, health advice etc.
Call – Free call 1300 365 003 or 5728 8000
Alpine Shire Council hotline-
Numbers for recovery, rebuilding, health advice etc.
Call - 5755 0555 (BH) or 5755 0513 (BH)
For more information on this fire, contact the Ovens
Incident Control Centre on Ph (03) 5731 1222

For general fire information, please call the Victorian Bushfire

TELSTRA:
Information Line on 1800 240 667 (free call), or the CFA
Can set up a phone divert to a mobile if your
website (www.cfa.vic.gov.au) or the DSE website
home has been damaged/destroyed by the (www.dse.vic.gov.au/fires ).
fires. Contact Telstra for details 13 22 03.

Freecall Telstra phones have been provided for

those at the relief centres.

ANIMAL WELFARE: HELP FOR WILDFIRE

Injured wildlife can be left with trained wildlife
carers who specialise in injuries or burns.
Call 0417 380 687

WEATHER FORECAST

Tuesday:. Isolated showers. Winds S-SE av.15-

25kph,
Seymour Min 10 Max 22
Wangaratta Min 9 Max 26

IMPORTANT CONTACTS & WEBSITES:

Department of Human Services – For issues

relating to health and welfare - 1300 650 172
www.dhs.vic.gov.au

Department of Primary Industry – For issues

relating to agriculture, livestock, animal
welfare - 136 186 - www.dpi.vic.gov.au

VICROADS - 13 11 70
www.vicroads.vic.gov.au
road closures/ traffic hazard reporting service

Red Cross - Co-ordinates and registers

evacuees. Call 1800 727 077 to check on the
welfare of friends and relatives.

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