The Benalla community is coming together to support a family that lost its home during the recent Goomalibee fire.
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What started as a grass fire took more than 24 hours to bring under control, as dry conditions and wind saw it move easterly, just north of Benalla.
The fire started at 11.30am on Thursday, December 18 from a header being used to harvest a crop.
It spread through harvested and unharvested crop areas and paddocks of grass, threatening homes in its way.
While the hard work and dedication of local firefighters ensured there were no injuries, sadly one home and six sheds were lost.
Benalla’s Irene Morgan contacted the Ensign to say she is a friend of the residents who lost their home, and another friend had arranged for donations to be left at Benalla Police Station.
“This resident has lost everything, so friends are looking for donations,” she said.
“Vouchers would be welcomed and can be left at the Benalla Police Station.
“Other items can be organised by contacting Kerri Straughan on 0448 349 220.
“Any help would be appreciated.”
After the alarm was raised, firefighters from across the region headed to Goomalibee.
They worked to contain the fire, which would eventually burn more than 1600ha.
Emergency warnings were issued to the community with four areas of concern.
Some were told to shelter in place, while others were urged to evacuate to Benalla, where a relief centre had been set up in the Town Hall.
Those warnings were eventually downgraded as CFA crews got on top of the blaze.
CFA District 23 acting assistant chief fire officer Peter Bell said firefighters had halted the fire spread by Thursday night, while it was contained early Friday morning.
Official VicEmergency information that the fire was under control was not broadcast until almost 4pm on Friday.
And, it was not until Sunday morning that a ‘stop’ message was put out about the fire, with Mr Bell expecting firefighters to patrol the area until after Christmas, with trees and logs still smouldering.
At the height of the fire, 40 fire appliances, 11 aircraft and more than 200 firefighters worked to get the fire under control.
Five CFA vehicles, including four tankers were damaged in the fire on Thursday, including the Goorambat truck, whose crew put out a mayday call.
Mayday calls are broadcast if crew members believe they are in danger of being impacted by fire.
Mr Bell said the Goorambat truck was at the back of the fire when the call was broadcast, and that crews followed their training with it.
“To my understanding there were vehicles close by who assisted them,” he said.
Mr Bell said the Goorambat truck, one of the newer fire trucks in the region, was “extensively damaged” in the fire.
He said the brigade would not be left without a truck for the fire season, with one brought from elsewhere to be stationed in Goorambat while a decision was made about its truck.
Mr Bell said that while CFA trucks were “impacted by fire”, all firefighters aboard them were okay.
Mr Bell took time to thank CFA members who had worked tirelessly to keep communities safe.
“It was a strong wind, and we had very hot temperatures out there,” he said.
“But it’s been a great effort by everyone who is bringing this fire under control.”
He also said that while one home and six sheds were lost, other homes were saved thanks to firefighting efforts by both those in the air and on the ground.
In the air, two air tankers dropped fire retardant around homes to save them, while crews on the ground fought off any impending threats.
“It was the fantastic efforts from firefighter crews that saved properties,” Mr Bell said.
“Without them out there we would certainly have lost a lot more.”
Forest Fire Management Victoria teams also joined the CFA in the fight, including two teams that were based at the munitions factory in Benalla to protect it in case the fire got close to it.
Thankfully it did not.