Vic: Moderate conditions bring hope to firefighters
MELBOURNE, Dec 22 AAP - Hundreds of firefights battling Victoria's largest bushfirein 20 years are hoping a forecast change in today's weather will help them bring someareas under control.
Erratic winds and 15-metre high flames last night forced the Department of Environmentand Sustainability (DSE) to pull dozens of crews off the fire front in the Big DesertWilderness Park in the state's north-west.
The fire has now burned 180,000 hectares of bush and farmland and a south-westerlywind has pushed the fire towards private property on the north and eastern boundariesof the park.
DSE state fire co-ordinator Brian Rees said the weather bureau had forecast moderateconditions for the region today, after days of temperatures soaring to 40 degrees.
"It gives us a good chance to consolidate most of the lines," he said.
"The fire last night was very erratic and we had to pull a lot of people off the lines.
"About 300 firefighters will be fighting the fires today and we'll be sending out lightreconnaissance planes and four firebombing aircraft."
Reinforcements from South Australia were yesterday brought in to assist firefightersfrom the DSE, Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Parks Victoria.
Mr Rees said the ferocity of the fire in the Mallee scrub was a sign the area had notseen a bushfire for a long time.
The fire was sparked by lightning strikes last Tuesday.
AAP ce/csd
KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC DAYLEAD
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