6.00PM UPDATE: The "Big Hill" Fire at Gunning, which started just before 2.00pm on Wednesday, was under control by 5.20pm according to Paul Best from the NSW Rural Fire Service, but within the three and a half hour lifespan of the fire, it did extensive damage.
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At least 630 hectares were burnt out by the fire (some estimates suggest the extent of the fire was closer to 800 hectares). No human lives or buildings were lost to the fire but an estimated 100 sheep were killed or had to be destroyed, and again those numbers may rise considerably higher when a full assessment has been completed.
The fire started within 500m of Gunning, initially threatening the town, before making a run towards the Hume Highway. Firefighters from the RFS were joined by their colleagues from NSW Fire and rescue as 185 firefighters in 56 vehicles battled the blaze. They were joined by three water bombing aircraft from Goulburn, Orange and Bathurst and a VLAT DC10 air tanker from Sydney – "the Southern Belle."
While the fire is under control and now downgraded to Advice status, RFS volunteers and farmers will survey the damage on Thursday. Department of Primary Industries personnel will assist with destroying badly injured livestock.
5.30PM UPDATE: Gunning district resident Margaret Emery said the fire came within a whisker of a cottage on her property.
She and husband, John own the historic Hume property, ‘Collingwood,’ on the Cullerin Rd.
Mrs Emery could not say how much land was burnt but she was eternally grateful to the RFS for defending a cottage the couple was restoring, 3.5km from the main homestead.
“We were very lucky,” she said.
“It’s an awful feeling when you think a cottage you’ve put a lot of work into will go up in flames; it’s just horrible.”
The cottage was about 100 years old. The homestead was not threatened but the blaze burnt out an unknown area on the property.
Mrs Emery said she couldn’t sing the Rural Fire Service’s praises highly enough.
“There were a lot there and they came quickly,” she said.
“And when I asked police if the cottage was okay, they went up, checked and came back and told me.”
5.00PM UPDATE: Some 80 to 100 sheep have been lost in the Gunning fire. Southern Tablelands RFS zone operations manager Peter Alley said Department of Primary Industry officers were currently attending to the animals on a property off Cullerin Rd.
Forty units, comprising about 100 personnel, and four fixed wing aircraft have gained the upper hand on the blaze.
“It’s not contained yet but it’s pretty close,” Mr Alley said.
While no other property was lost, the outbreak came “pretty close” to some rural homesteads. Ground crews were able to protect the homes.
Three water bombing craft from Goulburn, Orange and Bathurst and a VLAT DC10 from Sydney - "the Southern Belle" - tackled the running fire.
Currently, a grader and dozer are carving containment lines around the blaze.
“The wind has died down but it is still quite warm with temperatures in the mid-30s,” Mr Alley said.
“Crews will work well into the night. They have a few days work ahead of them.”
The fire has been downgraded to "Advice" status.
4.45PM UPDATE: Easing conditions are allowing firefighters to gain the upper hand on this fire. Aircraft will continue to work with ground crews to slow the spread of the fire.
The fire is burning towards the Hume Highway and smoke is currently restricting visibility. Drivers in the area should be aware that the Highway may be closed with short notice as the fire approaches.
A wind change is expected within the hour which will change the wind direction to south westerly and will change the direction of the fire to moving away from the Hume Highway.
The south westerly change will move the fire towards Cullerin Road, Grabben Gullen Road and the main southern railway line. Residents in this area need to be aware of the potential for embers and smoke to impact their property.
4.30PM UPDATE: Proprietor of Bailey’s Garage at Gunning Craig Southwell said the fire came within about 500 metres of the town’s limits.
“It was moving that fast; it was absolutely flying,” he told the Post.
At one stage the wind direction changed and the fire went back on itself.
The outbreak appeared to have started on a Crookwell Rd property.
Mr Southwell said while people remained relatively calm, police earlier advised those in cafes to leave because the wind was blowing towards the town.
“It looks like it’s under control now, provided it doesn’t pick up and go in another direction,” he said.
The RFS reported a breakout in the northeastern sector within the past 30 minutes
4.00PM UPDATE: The fire, designated the Big Hill fire, has now burnt out an estimated 531 hectares but has largely bypassed Gunning, coming within less than a kilometre of the town in places.
The fire is still heading towards and the Hume Highway as well as along the Highway in an easterly direction. Waterbombing has commenced and crews are mopping up around Gunning.
A number of livestock have died in the fire and others have been badly burned and will need to be put down.
The Gunning to Crookwell Road, which had been closed, has now been reopened.
The fire is expanding on the eastern front and Fire & Rescue NSW units have joined to assist RFS units in fighting the fire.
3.45PM UPDATE: Upper Lachlan Shire Mayor John Shaw is helping to defend his brother’s property in the Gunning fire. The blaze has burnt out about 100 hectares on Peter Shaw’s property, ‘Big Hill,’ on the Gunning to Crookwell road.
It has burnt through open grassland but fortunately no stock was grazing on the paddock which had been set aside for subdivision.
“The wind has died down a bit but the fire is not under control,” Cr Shaw said a short time ago.
He said resources were everywhere fighting the blaze, not just the RFS.
Aerial appliances have been dispatched.
The fire was bearing in a southeasterly direction from the northwest, towards the highway.
Cr Shaw said it had crossed the Cullerin Rd, travelled towards Frankfield Creek and the property ‘Springfield.’
Yass Tribune reporter Jessica Cole, who is on Gunning’s outskirts, just off the Hume Highway, says Cullerin Rd and the Grabben Gullen Rd are closed.
Crews appeared to have gained the upper hand around the highway although the wind remained strong.
The highway remains open despite thick smoke in the area.
3.30PM UPDATE: A firefighting strike team from Crookwell is assembling at Grabben Gullen to attack the fire from the North. The Group 1 strike team has just arrived in Gunning and a DC-10 is inbound to assist fighting the fire, expected to arrive just after 4pm.
3.15PM UPDATE: Some 25 to 30 RFS units are tackling a fire burning out of control at Gunning.
Zone operations manager Peter Alley said the fire started at about 2pm at the waterworks on the town’s edge and spread into open country.
So far it has burnt out 90 hectares and is moving quickly.
Mr Alley said the windy conditions were making it difficult to get at.
RFS crews are undertaking property protection however at this stage, none are under threat.
The blaze is visible from the Hume Highway and police are monitoring traffic flow. The Highway remains open in both directions at this stage, police said
3.05PM UPDATE: The fire has now been regraded to "Watch and Act" status - which is defined as "a heightened level of threat. Conditions are changing and you need to start taking action now to protect you and your family."
3.00PM UPDATE: A grass fire is running out of control near Gunning this afternoon with RFS trucks from around the district and an aerial appliance en route to fight it.
So far the fire has burnt 90 hectares and the status is listed as "Advice" level.
The estimated width of the fire along the old Hume Highway side of the fire is estimated to be around 1km.
