Keilira Bushfire
05 March 2020
Member for MacKillop Nick McBride spoke in Parliament about the Keilira Bushfire
The Keilira fire started as a result of a lightning strike on 30 December. This was a fire fanned on that day by high winds and a wind change that turned a small fire front into a massive front that engulfed large areas of country. The difficult firefighting conditions grew the fire from an area of around 150 hectares to 15,000 hectares in a matter of hours. The responders to the Keilira fire included CFS volunteers and staff, farm fire units, DEW staff, the critically important aerial firefighting team, machinery operators who worked on the firebreaks and other emergency and logistical support services, as well as community groups and individuals.
These people all worked together to contain the fire, and they worked in a range of roles to provide coordination and support on that day and the days that followed. I have nothing but admiration for the courage of our firefighters, who I know went beyond the call of duty to work in the face of the fire head to protect assets. Neighbours helped neighbours. As a community, we are thankful that there was no loss of life on that day. The response was substantial, necessary and effective. I thank them all for their efforts.
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