The Rural Fire Service is currently working with police to identify the cause of the fire at Durran Durra this weekend.
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Front line firefighters have given initial feedback to a fire investigator, but the cause of the blaze is still unclear, says Superintendent Tim Carroll, District Manager of the Lake George zone.
At its peak 95 firefighters were fighting the blaze, which was reported to the RFS shortly after 2pm on Friday.
The fire burnt over 332 hectares before being contained on Saturday evening. It was set to ‘Patrol’ status on Sunday night.
Local crews were bolstered by firefighters from the Far South Coast, Cooma-Monaro and the Southern Tablelands, with assistance from the ACT Rural Fire Service, National Parks and Wildlife, the SES and the police.
Despite the extend of the blaze, just one shed, fencing and some motor vehicles were lost.
Phil and Judy Anderson have firefighters and the local community to thanks for saving their home.
At its worst, the fire reached just 20 metres from their front fence, and 50 metres from the house itself.
The Andersons also have the quick response of friends the Bradley family, the Sturgiss family and the Williams family to thank as well.
From the Cooma road, the Bradleys looked over, saw the smoke, and realised it was at the Andersons’ property, says Mrs Anderson.
They were first on the scene, helping Mr Anderson to prepare the house for the onslaught.
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At its peak, approximately 60 persons were on the ground at the house, while fire units and helicopters supported the firefighters, says Mrs Anderson.
“Collectively, they just did an amazing amazing job,” Mrs Anderson said.
She herself first head about the fire while at work in town. She dashed home, to be confronted by what looked like the whole ridge ablaze.
“There was red, there was lots of white smoke which is heat, in the centre of it….was this great big black mass, and straight away I thought that’s my house,” Mrs Anderson said.
“I thought ‘yep that’s the house... gone’.”
She is extraordinarily grateful not only for the assistance of firefighters, but also for the response from Braidwood’s community. Alongside practical help, she has received more text messages of support than she has been able to answer.
“It just absolutely restored my faith in this wonderful community,” Mrs Anderson said. “I’ve been here long enough to see this community in action when there’s a crisis, everybody pulls together, it’s just amazing.”
Firefighters were fortunate that despite the high temperatures, winds were low over the weekend, says Superintendent Carroll.
“This fire really reinforces that message [to stay vigilant], that it hasn’t taken long for the grasslands and forests to dry out,” Superintendent Carroll said.
“All we need is a little bit of warm weather and strong winds and we can have rapidly growing and moving bushfires.
“The message that I’d give people coming out of this fire is that it’s really important that people monitor conditions and sit down and have that conversation with family about what you would do and what you would need to do if a fire was to come.”
Crews will keep patrolling the site during the week.