DAVID MILLS Gibson Bushfire Brigade member for 27 years and acted as a Fire Control Officer for Gibson during the 2015 fires.
As a volunteer member of the Gibson Bushfire Brigade
I headed straight round to the shed and like the afternoon
soon as possible. You need to cease harvesting. Please
the 2015 fire event started on Sunday 15th November,
before, I drove Gibson 4.4 out to the fire, manned with
let your neighbours know.’ Again, I headed straight to the
after lightening from passing storms ignited several fires
the same brigade members. We got to the fire at about
fire shed, meeting up with the same two crew and once
in the region.
quarter to one and were directed to a paddock on Dave
again manning Gibson 4.4, with myself in the driver’s
Johnson’s farm. We watched for hop overs, putting
seat.
At about midday on Sunday, I received a text message
anything out that came over, until it was finished and safe
from the fire phone. The message was about the fires at
to move on.
Merivale. I got another warning message close to 3pm,
We were on scene by 12.30pm and directed to a rendezvous point at Annie’s Lane. By 1.10pm however,
then about ten minutes later a third message asking,
We then helped another crew with backburning which
we had to make a hasty retreat from that area, as the
‘those available to meet at the shed.’ I headed straight to
allowed the fire to be brought under control. Around
fire was coming over the sandy hills. We were directed
the shed to get ready to fight the fire.
6.30pm we left the farm to return to the shed. Before I
back to Stockyard and tasked to wait, whilst other crews
got home I had received a weather forecast notification
continued door knocking the area. Our other fire truck
I loaded into Gibson 4.4, one of our two fire trucks, with
message from the shire. It had basically read that ‘bad
Gibson 2.4 was with us, and Gibson 1 our light tanker
two other brigade members. We headed out to Merivale
weather was coming on Tuesday and there may possibly
driven by Blake Halford arrived shortly after but was
Road and were then directed to a farm on the north side,
be a harvest ban.’
having problems with overheating. We waited for about
arriving around 3.30pm. We were met with a small fire,
an hour, and as we were sitting there, I heard chatter
so waited for the dozer to turn up and run a break around
Tuesday dawned, and by late morning the weather
about sending trucks from Mount Howick up to a fire
the fire’s edge.
forecast was realised. Over the course of the day,
about 30km from Cascade.
temperatures would hit 46 degrees, with gale force A few trucks from other brigades were already in
winds averaging 105km/hour. The relative humidity for
At about 3.30pm we left, and Blake radioed Fire Control
attendance as well. After about two and a half hours,
the day was just four percent. The FDI (Fire Danger
Officer Tom Parkins, suggesting that we attend the
it was pretty much under control, so we radioed in to
Index) would be factored at 250 for that Tuesday. To put
Cascade Fire, whilst Mount Howick take our place at the
Tom Parkins, who stood us down. We returned to Gibson
this into perspective, the Victorian Black Saturday fires
Stockyard fire. It made sense, due to the shorter distance
Bushfire Brigade Shed before heading home for the day.
that claimed 173 lives in 2009, had previously held the
we had to travel to Cascade, and the fact that the Mt
highest FDI recorded in Australia of 180.
Howick units would have to pass our location to attend
At quarter past twelve the next day, I received a message
the Cascade fire anyway. Tom considered everything
once again asking who was available, as the Gibson
At 11.45am I received a message from the fire phone
before deciding. Blake then advised me that he had
brigade may have to return to the Merivale fire.
stating ‘Both trucks need to go to Stockyard Road as
come back saying that it made sense, and we were
pg 106 | DAVID MILLS