2024
A Firefighters reflections on a "Bad, and "Good day. Wednesday 28th Feb, 2024.
Brigade members had been active over recent days and weeks, serving at first response and subsequent Strike Teams to the Staffordshire Reef fire and the Raglan / Beaufort fires, ahead of what was a high danger spike period. We had not had rain of any substance for two months and on this hot, dry and windy midweek Wednesday, the Beaufort fire was still active and Cape Clear members had dealt with a small fire the previous evening with an injured resident. This TFB high alert day began with a Pager call at 10 AM to a car on fire along Pitfield Road that spread and ran through Pine trees to the paddock following. It was a good save by the brigade with help also from private appliances.
Due to the conditions, for much of the rest of the day we had members in the Grenville Group Strike Team 1580 on stand by, staged at Smythesdale, plus members at both Cape Clear and Berringa sheds. Due to the Pitfield Road fire running through Pine trees, we had a crew regularly inspecting the area to black out fire that continued to smoulder under the pine needles.
At 6 pm all was pretty quiet, though still hot and dry, and members were about to head to Linton station where Pizza was on order for those that had been on stand by for much of the day. Then we got the call of a fire at Dereel.
As we drove towards Dereel we could see black smoke rising so knew it was hot and running hard already. As we arrived on scene at Kleins Road the flame height confirmed this would be a hard fight! Cape Tanker 1 joined the fight there and I joined with the Leigh Group Officer as his driver to aid him as Incident controller. We drove around the fire which was growing quickly, setting up Sectors to serve the crews that were called for. After observing the scene we setup control at Dereel station. The fire was running North / South, heading down from Swamp Road along to the following three roads, and each had 5-10 houses on either side. It was known that a wind change was coming and a Red Flag warning was soon issued to all sectors and crews. As we were coordinating sectors, crews and appliances, I saw the column move overhead, indicating the wind was changing and we were soon in the dark and smoke. We quickly moved to the Dereel Safe Space so we could continue in fresh air!
Many residents were already there and the SES Control Bus soon arrived from which we could communicate and administer.
With the wind change the fire turned and swept West / East along each of the three streets, and we had designated appliances to asset protection at each house along these streets. We also needed to ensure that there were crews available to attack any fire spotting over Colac Road, with fears of what happened the last time that occurred. We were well served with enough resources both to identify and attack any new outbreaks. And we were well served by the crews protecting residents and only minor damage was incurred with a shed and a tractor vehicle lost I understand. Air attack resources looked impressive, and helped calm the fire mostly around the Swamp that was particularly hot, and Tankers held at each house.
We were very fortunate to have had so many crews and Strike Teams available on Stand By within half an hour, including two NSW RFS Strike Teams staged at Ballarat with concern around the fire at Beaufort. So when we called for resources they were quick to arrive to aid the fast attack.
As dark neared the wind dropped and the temperature began to cool, so the fire threat diminished and began to be contained. Any spotting over Colac Road had been terminated and resources blacked out around affected properties, and most residents returned to their homes from the Safe Space. I think there were 50 crews involved and most were released as soon as we could but many were eventually well fed by the Salvos after 10 pm. Dozers and tankers had done their jobs and only Dereel local brigade needed to work on the area in the following days.
I really appreciated the efforts and willingness of all to get involved and it was great to see the relief of the Dereel brigade leaders to know the fire was held at Colac Road and there would be no repeat of the experience 10 years earlier!
It was a great save!
Jeremy Peet
1st Lt.
ThankYou from Dereel Community
Annual General Meeting
A good time was had by all - great turn up and yummy food
A great send off for Brenda
Jeremy Peet was elected the next Captain of the Cape Clear Rural Fire Brigade. Pic Jess
29 March
A fast moving grass fire was the result of a permitted burn by the landholder that got away.
Cape Clear Fire Brigade had prior notification that the burn was to take place.
The fire burnt about 40 acres of grass and was stopped by brigades as it got into a row of pines and threatened to take off again into the neighbour's paddock.
Thanks to the quick work of crews, helitack and locals in their private appliances, this event was mostly contained within the property where it originated. Cape Clear brigade members monitored the fire well into the early hours of the next morning and then for the next two days. Jess H
Wednesday 28 FEB - A TFB
Three fire calls
Car breakdown starts a grass and tree fire 150m from fire station - A close call
Second Fire call was to a hot and going bushfire in Dereel
Pic Jess herzberg
Raglan
The brigade sent quite a few members away on strike teams to the massive Bayindeen - Rocky Rd bushfire north of Beaufort from 21 Feb onwards
On going spotting in our local area from this fire - this one in our paddock - 50kms away
Tuesday 13 Feb - A TFB
Mid Morning call to a Fire started by lightning strike - in the Woady below Glenfine
a fire at Newtown/Italian Gully. Going strong - spotted across Staffordshire Reef Rd into the forest. A large fire that burnt more than 500Ha of state forest and private property
Pics TK
2023
NOV 2 Good turn up to the Bushfire Workshop in Berringa - thanks to Reinhard for the entertaining and informative workshop
The big wet of 2022 did definitely not continue into 2023. The grass growth has rapidly dried off and as it warms up into Spring and Summer 2023/24 there is an increased risk of burn offs getting out of control and large grass fires this fire season in our area. The climate outlook for fire season 2023/24 is drier and warmer with lots of fuel.
Early spring was a good time to clear up fuel around your property. As we get closer to the introduction of fire restrictions it will be important to burn off carefully and you must not leave fires unattended. When fire restriction come in on 20 November 2023 it will be illegal to conduct a burn off.
11 October Large Bushfire in Donald Mcleans Rd, Cape Clear 2, Wednesday afternoon
Lots of trucks and bulldozers - CFA and FFMV did a great job stopping the spread through difficult terrain with significant spotting - Thanks to all those who came to assist. This was a lucky one in early October's mild weather. An early warning of the dryness in the bush. A couple of pics of the trucks on a bushtrack
Abandoned campfire at Happy Valley Crossing - put them out properly!
Fire in the Enfield Forest
Pics M Rowe
Rowsley Fire Pics
Pic M Rowe
Pics T Kelly
17 Feb Grenville Group Strike Team to Rowsley Fire for night shift
Pics M Rowe
10 Feb Grassfire on roadside in Mannibadar
9 Feb Assist Rosewood Junction with a roadside burn
Pics T Kelly
26 Jan
Captain Michael Rowe received an Australian Fire Services Medal in the Australia Day Honour Awards. A massive congratulation to Michael for the well deserved recognition.
Local media has some great pics and articles
A great article and photo in the Golden Plains Times
https://timesnewsgroup.com.au/goldenplains/news/pushing-for-progressive-tactics/
A spectacular front cover of the Courier with a great article inside
CFA News Update from the CEO and CO
We congratulate our AFSM recipients for their leadership, commitment, energy and enthusiasm across their many years of service to CFA.
Michael Rowe, Cape Clear Fire Brigade
Many people across CFA and the wider emergency services have benefited from Michael Rowe's vision, diligence and commitment to community safety and inclusion across his 41-year volunteer career.
Michael's passion, advocacy and knowledge – for preventative burning in particular – has inspired many. In 2015 he released a book in called The Art of Roadside Burning, a roadside burning manual to support brigades to undertake controlled roadside burning safely and productively.
Michael is also strong supporter and advocate for gender equality. In 2018 he introduced women-only burn days to encourage more women to get involved in and experienced in roadside burning. This unique event has drawn widespread acclaim, with ongoing benefits to the hundreds of participants."
Cape Clear also congratulates other the recipients
From CFA News
Five decorated CFA members have been named as this year?s Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) recipients, in recognition of their dedicated service to CFA and their communities.
The AFSM is the highest award for a member of an Australian fire service and as part of the Australia Day honours list, is awarded to a select group of outstanding fire service members each year.
The five members have more than 265 years of service for CFA between them, and the contributions they?ve made to the Victorian emergency services sector have been revered.
https://www.members.cfa.vic.gov.au/news/five-cfa-members-awarded-australian-fire-service-medals
Many people across CFA and the wider emergency services have benefited from Michael Rowe?s vision, diligence and commitment to community safety and inclusion across his 42-year volunteer career.
The Cape Clear Fire Brigade captain has been awarded an Australian Fire Service Medal in the 2023 Australia Day Honours for his exemplary contribution to the emergency services and communities of Victoria.
In receiving the AFSM Michael said: "I'm extremely humbled and quite emotional. I have been in shock since I found out.
"I have to give full credit to the people around me as they have inspired me to always push for greater. Having good people around you makes a huge difference,? he added.
Michael's career as a CFA volunteer started in 1981 when as a teenager he joined his father at Clunes Fire Brigade. He transferred to Cape Clear Rural Fire Brigade in 1989, going on to hold several lieutenant positions before being elected captain in 2010, a position he holds to this day.
Michael's distinguished service is not just in fighting fires. His passion, advocacy and knowledge – for preventative burning in particular – inspires many, as does his steadfastness for seeing CFA?s women volunteer cohort grow and succeed.
By using and sharing his knowledge of controlled burning Michael has created a change in mindsets within brigades and across CFA.
Cape Clear Fire Brigade has a history of burning the roadsides in its area for community fire prevention and protection. With one road stretching from one side of the district to the other, this used to be a time-consuming and labour-intensive job.
However, Michael developed a system of burning both sides of the road simultaneously, resulting in a quicker burn that was not only safer for crews and traffic, but better for the environment and communities with less smoke put into the atmosphere. Michael?s system was refined with each burn, and soon surrounding brigades joined in.
On the back of this success, Michael released a book in 2015 called The Art of Roadside Burning. This roadside burning manual includes strategies and techniques to support brigades across the state to undertake controlled roadside burning safely and productively. Through the book Michael shared his knowledge and experience from his many years of preventative burning with the goal to reengage and train CFA members in roadside burning – a once-widespread practice that had decreased or disappeared in many parts of the country.
Michael is a strong supporter and advocate for gender equality in CFA and was one of the first captains to initiate women-only training camps. In 2018 Michael introduced women-only burn days to encourage more women to get involved in and experienced in roadside burning. The burn days also provided a space for women to learn, share and develop their firefighting skills in a friendly, supportive environment.
This unique event has drawn widespread acclaim, with ongoing benefits to the hundreds of participants. Since its inception, the Cape Clear Women's Burn Day has grown from a one-day event to a full weekend program of skills maintenance and roadside burning. Held twice a year, hundreds of women from across the state attend each event, eager to increase their expertise, knowledge and confidence in a fun and safe environment.
There are many highlights across his volunteer career, however Michael speaks with pride when reflecting on the success of the burn days.
Visionary at the time, the women-only burn days have now been adopted statewide using the model developed by Michael and Cape Clear brigade. The initiative continues to have a profound impact on the engagement and recruitment of women into CFA, highlighting the importance of the program for brigade sustainability.
"It has been immensely rewarding both personally and professionally to see the success of the women's burn days,? Michael said.
"You can see the benefits almost instantly, with the confidence of participants growing before your eyes. Many will go from being unsure and hesitant to leading activity across the course of the day, and sometimes it?s not until you point it out to them that they realise just how much they have achieved.?
One of the key benefits, Michael says, is the way participants feel empowered to take what they have learned back to their home brigade and share their new knowledge with others.
"Through participating in the burn days CFA's women members leave with increased confidence in their skills as well as a network of people they can contact for support regardless of which brigade they are from,? he said.
"The knowledge they gain is paid forward – that is extremely powerful.?
Michael is also a strong supporter of the District 15 Women's Reference Group and has been nominated by the group as one of only two Champions of Change.
A passionate and inspiring leader who garners the best from his people, Michael is committed to protecting his crews and community. Whether on the fireground or at a roadside burn, the safety and wellbeing of his members is front of mind.
During the 2019-20 fires in NSW, understanding that crews were going to face a challenging firefight, Michael encouraged members to take the time the night prior to deployment to speak to their families and loved ones. He reportedly said: "?talk to your loved ones because tomorrow is going to be tough and you won?t have time to think about anything else, but we will all get out alive?. And they did.
Michael?s nominator writes: "Great leadership not only saves lives; it absolutely inspires people to go one step further than their best
https://news.cfa.vic.gov.au/news/champion-of-change-honoured-with-afsm
14 Jan
Abandoned camp fire
Happy Valley crossing
13 Jan Large stubble fire at Illabarook
Quickly contained by local brigades. Area 27ha.
Three Cape trucks attended including the new one.
A reminder of why we need to burn strategic roadsides.
Pics M Rowe
Pic M Rowe
Pic T Kelly
Pic W Rigg
New Truck
Cape Clear is getting a newer replacement fire truck for our ageing tanker. You may see it out and about. It is housed in the Cape Clear station.
Brigade members had a good look over the truck with special thanks to Tony and Buster
Pics T Kelly
Electric Vehicle
Brigade members were able to assist two tourists visiting Cape Clear for the first time. Their electric car needed a bit of a boost to get it to Daylesford. We didn't have a quick charger but were able to give the car a top up to get to Ballarat.
Pics T Kelly