Irrewarra Rural Fire Brigade in Irrewarra, Victoria, Australia | Fire station

Irrewarra Rural Fire Brigade

Locality: Irrewarra, Victoria, Australia

Address: 5 Ryans Rd 3249 Irrewarra, VIC, Australia

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• Non-profit organisation
• Community organisation
• Fire station

25.01.2022 Attention all past Juniors, if you had a Junior Development t-shirt and still have this in your possession could you please return it to so we can pass onto current Juniors. Cheers Amanda

25.01.2022 Attention all CFA members. Please familiarise yourself with these new rules. From the 1st of September, we have to change the way we communicate on our radios. By now saying FIRECOM instead of VICFIRE. Also have a look at these set of fire hose terminology’s. Acting CFA Chief Garry Cook, has a lot to answer for. In forcing these radio changes on us, without adequate consultation.

24.01.2022 Australia Day, helping our neighbouring brigade Beeac, at a car and grass fire. This certainly wouldn’t want to happen this coming Friday, with a forecast tempe...rature of 43 degrees and 40 kilometre per hour winds. Lieutenant Robert Martin, training Firefighter Sandra Martin on the back !!!!!! Go Saaaandraaa See more

23.01.2022 Interesting Radio Hand pieces, in Queensland Fire Trucks. UHF on the right in Red. Those flexible radio Leeds, look like a pain to see through though.

22.01.2022 A big shout out too Caroline Hitchings, who does an absolute fantastic job. In keeping the Irrewarra Fire Station grounds mown, and always looking neat and tidy.... It takes Caroline many hours to do this, for which we are all very grateful. None more so than me, because as Captain, that’s one less thing I have to worry about. Caz just does it. So good on you Caz, for a continued top job. See more

22.01.2022 Yesterday our brigade, along with Irrewarra, Birregurra, Weering/Eurack, Cororooke and FRV Station 62 assisted Beeac Brigade with a building fire in Main Street..., Beeac. Unfortunately the building wasn't able to be saved in the blaze which was believed to have started from a powerpoint that may have overloaded and caught fire. A massive effort by all who attended with some 23 Breathing Apparatus Cylinders utilised in the fire fight. A job well done! If anyone would like to help out the family who lost everything in the fire, Beeac community members have started a GoFundMe Page to donate money rather then items in the current environment. Please head over to https://www.gofundme.com/f/carlon-family-fire-recovery to donate. CFA (Country Fire Authority) Fire Rescue Victoria

22.01.2022 Hey Robert and Sandra Martin Here’s an idea for a Beeac Group, or District 6 calendar photoshoot.

21.01.2022 Yesterday’s shop/house fire at Beeac.

19.01.2022 ** UPDATE** We are happy to report that the Family and their pets were able to escape this fire, sadly they have lost everything except the clothes that they ar...e wearing. The Beeac Community has already started to rally behind them to those of you thank you. To Dorothy and the team at the Farmers Arms Hotel for providing lunch and cold drinks for the Firefighters thank you. We are still on scene with fire appliances so even though the road is once again open please be careful of our crews and remember blue and red lights means slow to 40k/h. Thanks to all the crews who helped out, Beeac Group FCV, Beeac tankers 1, 2 & Ultralight, Colac, Weering Eurack, Irrewarra, Cororooke, Birregurra, D6 headquarters brigade and Commander Kershaw. We have a structure fire in the Main Street of Beeac not yet under control. Please stay away from the Pub & Shop block of Main Street multiple fire appliances in attendances.

18.01.2022 Have a look at this, talk about history repeating itself. Nearly 77 years to the day (21-1-1943) identical meetings will be held, to discuss the very same fire ...related issues. Councils, state and Federal members will be in attendance. I see my grandfather Cr Herbert Martin, pushed for the meeting to be held. So the fire and fire hazard situation must have been bad if he arced up about it. Uncanny situation or what. If only my grandfather Herbert Martin was alive today, I could have asked him the outcome of that meeting 77 years ago. Then we could have cancelled this upcoming meeting. Just adopt all the recommendations of that 1943 meeting, no point reinventing the wheel. Richard Riordan Shaun Martin Rachael Martin Gavin Brien Sandra Martin Brian Robb Brian Ritchie Mark Gunning See more

18.01.2022 Fire Restrictions. With regards to the Colac Otway Shire. I would hope that they don’t put fire restrictions in place, before the 13th December, or the 6th Dec... at the very earliest. Conditions haven’t been like this, for many years. Also good rain forecast for at least the next month to 6 weeks or more. Gavin Brien Sally Patterson See more

17.01.2022 Last month ( 15th January 1944) was the 76th anniversary, of the worst grassfire that the Irrewarra/Warncoort and Birregurra districts, have ever experienced (s...ee post and comments for detail) Ever since we were kids, my father and other older Irrewarra/Warncoort locals. Recounted the story of how that day unfolded, and the aftermath of this serious fire, which burnt many thousands of acres, homes, buildings, livestock and one life. The Country Fire Authority was formed in March of that year (1944) and the Irrewarra Fire Brigade, changed from being an informal Bush Fire Brigade, to a CFA brigade. So that in turn means, that next month (March) the Irrewarra CFA turns 76 years old. See more

17.01.2022 Black Friday 1939 The bushfires of 13 January 1939, known as the Black Friday fires, followed a long drought and a severe, hot, dry summer. Fanned by extremely ...strong winds, these fires swept rapidly across large areas of Victoria, causing widespread destruction. An area of almost two million hectares was burned across the state, with 71 people losing their lives. Whole townships were destroyed, many sawmills burned to the ground and thousands of sheep, cattle and horses were killed by the intense heat and flames. Three weeks after the bushfires, a Royal Commission was convened with Judge Leonard E B Stretton selected to lead inquiry. The Judge was instructed to inquire into the causes of the January 1939 fires, the measures taken to prevent the fires and to protect life and property. Judge Stretton also investigated what procedures had been put in place to protect life and property in the event of future bushfires. 'When millions of acres of the forest were invaded by bushfires which were almost statewide, there happened, because of great loss of life and property, the most disastrous forest calamity the State of Victoria has known. These fires were lit by the hand of man.' - Judge Leonard Stretton, 1939 The lead up to Black Friday Black Friday was the culmination of a long, dry and hot summer following a drought period that had lasted several years. Many creeks and rivers had dried up and people living in Melbourne were on water restrictions. Dry heat and hot winds sapped much of the moisture from the ground, leaving forest floors and the open plains tinder dry. Prior to January 13, many fires were already burning. Some had started as early as December 1938, but the majority had started in the first week of January 1939. Some of the fires could not be extinguished while others were left unattended, or as Judge Stretton wrote, the fires were allowed to burn '"under control", as it is falsely and dangerously called'. High temperatures and strong northerly winds fanned these separate fires on the day. The fires eventually combined and created a massive fire front that swept mainly over the mountain country in the north east of Victoria, and along the coast in the south west. The Black Friday disaster The fires of January 1939 were to be etched in the memories of those involved for the rest of their lives. Flames leapt large distances, giant trees were blown out of the ground by fierce winds and large pieces of burning bark (embers) were carried for kilometres ahead of the main fire front, starting new fires in places that had not previously been affected by flames. A total of 69 sawmills were burned and 71 lives lost. At one sawmill settlement near Matlock, east of Melbourne, 15 people died while trying to escape from the fires. Over 1,000 homes were burned, and the townships of Narbethong, Noojee, Woods Point, Nayook West and Hill End were destroyed. The townships of Warrandyte, Yarra Glen, Omeo and Pomonal were badly damaged. Intense fires burned on the urban fringe of Melbourne in the Yarra Ranges east of Melbourne, affecting towns including Toolangi, Warburton and Thomson Valley. The alpine towns of Bright, Cudgewa and Corryong were also affected, as were vast areas in the west of the state, in particular Portland, the Otway Ranges and the Grampians. The bushfires also affected the Black Range, Rubicon, Acheron, Noojee, Tanjil Bren, Hill End, Woods Point, Matlock, Erica, Omeo, Toombullup and the Black Forest. Large areas of state forest, containing giant stands of Mountain Ash and other valuable timbers, were killed. Approximately 575,000 hectares of reserved forest, and 780,000 hectares of forested Crown land were burned. The intensity of the fire produced huge amounts of smoke and ash, with reports of ash falling as far away as New Zealand. The devastation ended late on Sunday January 15 after rain fell across the state. How the fires started Although the summer had been extremely hot and dry following a long period of drought, the fires that resulted in Black Friday came from a combination of human causes. Land owners, graziers, miners, forest workers and campers either deliberately or carelessly contributed to the 1939 fires by lighting fires before 13 January. The causes included burning off for land clearing and grass growth, lighting campfires, inappropriate sawmill operations and domestic fires. Many of these fires still smouldered when the hot, dry, windy conditions occurred on 13 January, 1939. Judge Stretton wrote in his report: 'it will appear that no one cause may properly be said to have been the sole cause', however the fires were 'lit by the hand of man'. Environmental effects of Black Friday The 1939 bushfires were perhaps the most significant event in the environmental history of Victoria, profoundly damaging millions of hectares of forests, affecting soil fertility and impacting important water catchments. Where the fires were most intense, soil was burned to such a degree and depth that it took decades for it to restore its natural chemistry. Water catchments were severely impacted with ash, dirt and burnt debris being washed into rivers during heavy rain. These contaminated water catchments for years after the fires. Large tree hollows and other important habitat for mammals and birds, including the Leadbeater's possum and powerful owl, were destroyed when the mature mountain ash forests burned. Even today, as you drive through the Yarra Ranges National Park to the north-east of Healesville, you can still see tall, dead mountain ash trees called 'stags' towering above the canopy these are constant, stark reminders of the magnitude of the bushfires over 70 years ago. In the years immediately after the fires, the Forests Commission organised an enormous salvage operation to harvest as much burnt mountain ash timber as possible, before it rotted. What has changed since 1939 Judge Stretton made seven major recommendations to improve forest and fire management and to help prevent events like the Black Friday bushfires from occurring again. These recommendations aimed at achieving a clearer separation of fire and forest management, better cooperation between competing government departments, and more flexible and comprehensible laws of fire protection and prevention. The findings of the Royal Commission still inform Victoria's fire management practices today. The first major initiative from Judge Stretton's recommendations was the provision of the Forests Act 1939 which enabled the then-named Forests Commission (now the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning) to take complete control of fire suppression and prevention on public land in Victoria. Both the Forests Commission and the then Board of Works previously undertook forest and fire management and this created confusion as to who should be in charge of overall fire management. In 1944 the Country Fire Authority (now CFA) was formed to manage fire on private land outside greater Melbourne. There were now three separate firefighting agencies in Victoria the Forests Commission (now DEWLP the CFA and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (protecting inner Melbourne). Judge Stretton also recommended the protection of forests through a strategic program of burning selected areas of forest in a controlled way during spring and autumn. Following the Black Friday bushfires, planned burning became an official fire management practice in Victoria. Judge Stretton's recommendations also included placing fire towers at strategic locations to ensure fires could be detected early before they spread and an enhanced network of roads and access tracks within the millions of hectares of public land in Victoria. This network has allowed access for firefighters and their equipment into the more remote areas of the state which prior to 1939, was virtually impossible. Before the 1939 fires, firefighters did not wear specific protective equipment. They used wet hessian sacks to extinguish fires and undertook no firefighting training prior to working on the fire line. The continual development of protective equipment, such as overalls and helmets, specialised firefighting vehicles and training programs to ensure firefighter safety, has become a major priority for all three firefighting agencies, particularly in recent times. Aircraft are used to help locate new fires and water-bombing aircraft are now also used to carry out fire suppression efforts. Judge Stretton's Royal Commission

16.01.2022 Looking Back 30 years. In today’s Colac Herald. Nothing’s changed, in the last week the brigade attended 2 MVA’s and 2 grass fires, with former Captain Garry Hi...tchings (mentioned) attending two of these incidents in the past week. Well done Garry, still going strong in the brigade. Our neighbouring Colac Brigade are also mentioned, Colac you and District Six would be interested in the location of the FIRE !!! Some history for you there. We thank Colac for their continued support at jobs. See more

15.01.2022 *Mt Gellibrand Fire Tower in Question Time Is this answer good enough? I asked the Minister today to commit to reinstating the Mount Gellibrand Fire Tower. Mi...nister Neville said she is waiting for the CFA to get back to her, and that the CFA would be able to use drones, aeroplanes, fire mapping and the Bureau of Meteorology. See more

14.01.2022 In preparation for the upcoming Summer Competition season, Irrewarra Rural Fire Brigade will be hosting a Come and Try Day. Sunday December 6th 2020 2pm Irrewarra Fire Station ... Ryans Rd Irrewarra For enquiries/further information please fell free to contact the Coach Dave Oborne 0428876356

13.01.2022 Hey Prime Minister Sco Mo, I have found the fire fighting machine that will put out any fire. Mr Reddies motorised fire fighting cart. 77 years ago (Feb 1943) ...my grandfather Cr Herbert Martin reported to the Shire of Colac council meeting, that he had witnessed Mr Reddies motorised fire fighting cart in action. It was the best equipped machine in Australia, assuring safety, rapidity and efficiency he said. And was so impressed, because it allowed them to burn off on any day, regardless of the conditions WOW we want a fleet of these things. It must of been some machine, now to find one to copy !! Mark Gunning it would be fitting that the Irrewarra Brigade be the first in Australia to get one. See what you can come up with !! See more

13.01.2022 77th Anniversary (15-1-1944) of the worst fire ever to occur. In the Irrewarra, Warncoort and Birregurra districts.

12.01.2022 This morning at 08-06am, the Irrewarra CFA Brigade, along with our fellow CFA crews from Colac and Yeo we’re paged to a B-Double truck rollover (driver trapped) hazmat incident at the new roundabout on the Princes Highway, Drapers Road intersection at Irrewarra. We were also supported by Vicpol, Colac SES, Ambulance Vic, Vicroads, and the EPA. As captain of the Irrewarra Brigade, and the incident controller for this incident. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all... those involved at this rollover, for their support. Together as a team, we handled this job, in the most professional manner possible, in the foggy conditions. Especially when you consider, had those tanks contained a chemical of a not so kind of nature. Our conduct and actions, would have lessened a potential catastrophic event. Once again thank you everyone. E John Martin Captain and incident controller of the Irrewarra CFA. (Thanks also to the Colac SES for the photo) See more

11.01.2022 Colac Herald Wednesday, February 26, 2020

11.01.2022 UPCOMING ROAD CLOSURE: Please be advised the Colac-Ballarat Road, Irrewarra will be closed from School Road to the roundabout at the Princes Hwy for Road Construction Works from 7am January 28th to 6pm February 28th (Monday-Friday ONLY). All traffic will be detoured via Princes Hwy to Warrowie Road... Please refer to attached for further details.

10.01.2022 Now school is back, competition training will start tomorrow night (Tuesday 4th of Feb) 4.00pm start. A school pickup will be happening but people need to txt Dave Oborne so transport can be organised. Cheers ... Coach See more

10.01.2022 Very dangerous decision to take a photo, with a drone, at a going fire. But that’s what this person did at today’s Kyneton fire. If you look closely, you can see CFA appliances already on scene.

10.01.2022 Not good news for the Kawarren Fire Brigade.

07.01.2022 Preventing Harvest Fires It's your responsibility to make sure you don't start a fire In this video retired Farmer and CFA Volunteer Kevin Bolwell, of Horsham in Victoria’s Wimmera region, explains the findings of his research into header fires and provides practical advice for farmers and harvesting contractors. https://youtu.be/NEAt8zHvpNo

06.01.2022 Community spirit at it's finest. Well done all

06.01.2022 UPDATE. TOMORROW 20TH NOVEMBER AT 1PM-3PM. RICHARD RIORDAN HAS INVITED THE SHODOW MINISTER FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES TO VIEW THE TOWER AND DISCUSS THE SITUATION. ...WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT. What is suggested is that concerned community members line the sides of Mooleric Road. PLEASE OBSERVE CURRENT COVID RESTRICTIONS. PARK SAFELY. Today we have had word that Mt Gellibrand fire tower will not be in use this upcoming fire season and will be decommissioned. This was not a decision from CFA. Taking away Mt Gellibrand fire tower leaves a huge gap and will be a huge loss for CFA as an early detection. There are also fire lookout towers, which form part of an early warning fire system, at Peters Hill, Mt Anakie and Mt Gellibrand Now Decommissioned . Not all towers can see each area and Peters hill can not see passed Mt Gellibrand leaving Hesse, Wingeel and all of District 6 (Colac and beyond) in a black spot area. Bushfire detection methods can be generally grouped into two distinct categories: 1. Volunteer reporting-public reporting (Triple 0), public aircraft, ground based field staff (agency and industry field staff) 2. Operational detection systems: fire towers, aerial patrols, electronic lightning detectors, automatic detection systems. A fire tower can form part of the decision on the outbreak of a fire and is critical to the immediate decision making process involved in initiating suppression. They can tell us how quick it is building, the direction its heading in, any possible homes in the way. All this gets taken into account even before trucks arrive. At this stage there is no plans to replace or repair the tower. So you tell me how you feel about this.

05.01.2022 **SIGN the PETITION ** Local CFA volunteers would like you to help them save the Mt Gellibrand Fire Tower. Petitions available from local CFA members and my off...ice - 52315046 If asked please sign the petition - calling on the State Govt to provide the required funding to keep this tower operating A big crowd of concerned residents, farmers, townsfolk and CFA volunteers rallied to show their support for the tower. Thanks to Nick Wakeling MP, Cr Heather Wellington and Cr Paul Barker, Liberal Democrats, Surf Coast Shire Council Bev McArthur MP - Member for Western Victoria

05.01.2022 The Ballarat Road Roundabout continues to cause problems. Lights that don’t work and inappropriate speed and line marking are the constant complaints. The Min...isters refuses to act, and has again confirmed her advice that everything is ok. What do you think? https://colacherald.com.au/2020//riordan-in-roundabout-row/

04.01.2022 Mount Gellibrand Fire Spotting Tower. A community meeting was held on site this afternoon, to discuss the CFA ‘s decision to close this tower (immediately) Mem...ber for Polwarth Richard Riordan, along with the shadow Minister for Emergency Services Nick Wakeling, Upper house member for Western Victoria Bev McArthur, and a number of shire councillors. Joined many CFA volunteers, and people of the community, from far and wide. To voice their concerns, about this very serious issue. See more

04.01.2022 South Dreeite Fire 18-1-2018. Irrewarra Brigade, Well done to the crew on the Irrewarra tanker at the large South Dreeite ..FIRE this afternoon and into tonight.... 7 hours and 12 tanker loads of water, with every one of those loads, drafted direct from stock troughs into the tanker. No time wasted going back to Alvie or water points for water (very quick turnaround) all the time on the FIRE line. Top effort, and very professional. I must say you guys on the Irrewarra tanker, would have to be the quickest tanker water drafters I have seen in a long time. It was like watching a formula 1 pit crew in action, great team effort, and this captain was proud to be part of your team today. Shaun Martin Rachael Martin Mark Hanlon, Dale Nowell, Jake Anderson Videos taken in line with CFA protocol, for training and Public relations purposes, as well as a record of the event as it unfolded. And videos only released after the event (not during ) later that night. Footnote: Video’s 1 (3.32pm) & 4 (3.55pm) both South Eastern front tip. Video 2 (3.24pm) Behind old Alvie Butter factory. Video 3 (4.37pm) North Eastern Front tip. All my communications with the Irrewarra Tanker, were with U.H.F radio, to avoid congestion on the fire ground channel, worked exceptionally well.

03.01.2022 Hard to believe some fire brigades in this country, still don’t have a fire truck. Worth a read, and have a look at the terminology used. Like Primary Producer Brigade etc Also I have personally seen some of the gear the Queenslanders use. Let’s just say, we are not doing too bad here in Victoria, even with all of our issues.

02.01.2022 To all Juniors participating in the 2020 Summer Competition season, training will commence as of THIS Sunday 19th January 2020 at 2pm at Irrewarra Fire Station. We look forward to seeing you then. Cheers Coach

02.01.2022 So the fire danger rating system, will be changing in 2022. It will be interesting to see what the outcome will be.

01.01.2022 Compared to the 2019 Fire Season