First-time campers slammed by firefighters over 'idiotic' mistake
First-time campers have been savaged online after a picture emerged of their one major mistake.
Woodend Country Fire Authority (CFA) posted the picture on Facebook to warn other campers of the “idiotic” move to light a campfire in the middle of a tinder dry forest – especially while areas around the state are currently battling out-of-control bushfires.
The CFA unit located halfway between Melbourne and Bendigo was called to a smoke sighting at Wombat Forest just after 4pm on Saturday.
Tankers and firefighters responded but finding the source of the smoke was like “trying to find a needle in a haystack”.
They then discovered a group of first-time campers on a remote track had started a campfire without following proper requirements during the fire season.
Campers are allowed to have a fire during the fire danger period for warmth and cooking as long as there is little wind, it is in a properly constructed fireplace or in a pit at least 30 centimetres deep.
The fire is not allowed to be more than one square metre in size, and an area of three metres is to be cleared around the fire.
“They had not cleared an area around the fire or dug a pit. They just lit the fire on the ground surrounded by dry fuels,” the Facebook post said.
“They also just put many large logs several metres long onto the fire and let it spread along the logs.
“Their intention was to build it into a nice bonfire during the night.”
The Facebook post said the only means of extinguishing it were half a dozen small water bottles. Fire crews had to clear the blaze before giving the campers a stern talking to.
“Just imagine the consequences if embers had floated into the adjacent bush? We wouldn’t have believed it if we hadn’t seen it!” the post said.
The group of campers were labelled “idiots” and some called for them to be fined.
“I always believe if you do something stupid you should pay a cost for the rescue team,” one commented.
“Really make them pay for their stupidity,” another said.
However others defended the group of campers, saying they were young and had likely not been educated on fire safety in the bush.
“Those of us who use the bush on a regular basis see this kind of thing all the time. We should be suggesting ways to get the message out to the uninitiated about fire safety,” one said.
A State Control Centre spokesperson told Yahoo7 News in a statement there were on-the-spot fines for people who did not comply with campfire rules.
“The safest option is not to light a campfire. Consider whether you really need a campfire,” the spokesperson said.
“If you choose to have a campfire, ensure you do the right thing with campfires and extinguish them properly.
“Most campfires escape when they are left unattended. Never, ever leave a fire unattended, even for a short while.”
The spokesperson said approximately 10 per cent of fires were started by campfire escapes.
“It’s critical that people extinguish their campfire using water, not soil as fires can still smoulder under soil. If a fire is cool to touch, it is safe to leave,” the spokesperson said.
Homes destroyed as 17 fires remain active
The state’s highest risk bushfire in the Bunyip State Park, east of Melbourne, has scorched about 15,000 hectares and remains out of control.
Four bushfires in the state’s east merged last Saturday to form the raging blaze with has since claimed 29 homes, damaged two others and destroyed 67 outbuildings.
Smoke from the blaze will hang over some parts of the state on Sunday with an air quality warning for most areas due to the 17 active fires in the Victorian landscape.
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