MULCH INFERNO
Air-quality warning as fire leaves smog over city’s north
GEELONG’S northern suburbs were yesterday blanketed in smog after large piles of mulch caught alight at Geelong’s port on Christmas night.
The EPA warned northern residents the air quality was “very poor” after the fire, which could burn for days.
GEELONG’S northern suburbs were yesterday blanketed in smog after large piles of mulch caught alight at Geelong port on Christmas night.
The Environment Protection Authority warned residents of Bell Park, Corio, Norlane, North Geelong, North Shore that air quality was “very poor” after the fire.
It is the second worst of the authority’s five air-quality categories, behind “hazardous”.
Firefighters remained on the scene late yesterday.
It could take days for the fire to be fully extinguished.
CFA District 7 Commander Wayne Aylmer said yesterday air quality was of concern.
Firefighters were called to the blaze at Midway woodchip facility at the Port of Geelong about 8pm Christmas night.
Witnesses reported large flames and plumes of smoke coming from the port area.
Firefighters arrived to find a pile of mulch about 200 to 250m long and about 100m wide, Mr Aylmer said.
“They’ve worked overnight to try to contain the fire to the area to stop it spreading to some more valuable product (for export),” he said.
Firefighters also worked to limit smoke, with Mr Aylmer saying the quality of the air surrounding the site was of “slight concern”.
“Close in to the fire, where our crews are working, carbon monoxide is a risk,” he said.
He urged residents to avoid the smoke if possible, and hoped tactics used on site would help smoke dissipate.
Mr Aylmer said it was not yet known how the fire started, but spontaneous combustion was a common cause of mulch fires generally, and the blaze was not thought to be suspicious.
“There will be a significant amount of work before we would be saying the fire is out, that could be anything up to the next couple of days,” he said.
“It’s one of those type of events that’s going to take a long time to put out and draws a lot of resourcing in.”
He said the heat may have been a contributing factor.
From the blaze’s spark to yesterday afternoon, 25 CFA appliances had attended the scene.
Heavy machinery yesterday arrived to move some of the mulch and start wetting it down in smaller piles to be monitored.
Midway spokesman Robert Hadler said it “tried to find alternative commercial uses for the mulch when we can”.
“Obviously we are looking at ways we can minimise that mulch pile and the risk of fire in the future,” Mr Hadler said.
“It turns over, it’s not just staggered but we regret the inconvenience caused by the fire to the residents at North Shore and surrounding suburbs.
“We’re very grateful for the fantastic efforts of the CFA on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.”