HUNT FOR ARSONIST
BELLARINE BLAZE: Residents join firefighters to combat grassfire
A FIREBUG is believed to have started a grassfire at Mannerim that took 100 firefighters about five hours to extinguish.
Thick smoke blanketed the northern Bellarine Peninsula as the out-of-control blaze threatened to impact rural properties including a horse stud on the outskirts of Drysdale, from 2pm yesterday.
The grass and scrub fire burned between 60 and 70 hectares after igniting alongside Swan Bay Rd, near the Bellarine Tourist Railway and Rail Trail, at Mannerim.
Bellarine Police Sergeant Michael Knight said residents grabbed hoses to help fight the fires and that a crime scene had been established for arson chemists to investigate the cause.
“We got the call about 2pm, so we’re appealing for anyone who might have been travelling on Swan Bay Rd halfway between Banks and Princess roads about that time. It was very lucky the cattle in the paddock nearby at the time got out of the way with no livestock or property lost.
“There were about 100 firefighters with lots of concerned residents on Princess St out there fighting the fire themselves.
“It got within 100m of the farm properties.”
About 100 firefighters with 30 appliances, including the aerial water-bombing helicopter from Colac, were involved as the grassfire headed north towards the townships of Drysdale and Clifton Springs, sparking frantic calls for help from some residents on the outskirts of town.
Some Drysdale businesses told their staff to leave early due to the threat.
The blaze took more than an hour and a half to bring under control and fire crews spent hours afterwards blacking out the rural area.
Leanne Jomantas, who lives at Clifton Springs, was shopping in Curlewis with her daughter yesterday afternoon when the blaze caught their attention.
“We noticed a lot of smoke, so thought we would go and have a look to see what was happening as we have lived out here for over 17 years and have never seen a fire,” Mrs Jomantas said.
“We went up Princess St towards Swan Bay Rd and pulled over when we saw how thick the smoke was getting ... then I saw flames and told my daughter to do a U-turn and get out.
“As we were heading back towards Drysdale there were heaps of cars coming so my daughter was flashing the car lights and I was waving at the cars to turn back, as I was terrified that the flames were coming towards Princess St.
“It made me feel very sick thinking of the possibility of loss of lives including animals.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.