STORMY conditions and mechanical failure saw firefighters called to a series of fires last Wednesday.
Kerang CFA was called to a fuel tanker fire on the Murray Valley Highway, 2km from Kerang, shortly after 5am
Captain Ramon Steel said the incident had serious potential because the tanker was loaded with diesel and petrol.
However, the fire, which was caused by a mechanical malfunction, was contained to one wheel of the truck, and was quickly brought under control.
Less than 20 minutes later, volunteers responded to a grassfire on Quambatook Road at Budgerum East.
That fire, which was started by lightning, was extinguished by rain before crews arrived.
Another lightning strike at Lalbert sparked a grassfire around 5.36am, which spread an eerie glow on the horizon.
Several brigades were called to assist, but the blaze was once again slowed by rain and quickly controlled.
On Wednesday afternoon, at 1.10pm, lightning ignited yet another grassfire, at Capels Crossing on the Kerang-Murrabit Road, which was again swiftly controlled by firefighters.
Forty minutes later, another lightning strike, in a paddock at Koroop, ignited grass, which burnt into three round hay bales.
CFA captain John Schulze said three brigades worked swiftly to extinguish the bales.
“We had Kerang, Cohuna and Koondrook,” he said.
“We each put out one bale so it was a quick response.”
Captain Steel said firefighters were lucky there was some rain on Wednesday.
“There was thunder and lightning all day,” he said.
“We were probably very lucky there was a tiny bit of rain with it to slow things down.”
