DISTRICT COUNCIL OF VICTOR HARBOR COUNTRY FIRE SERVICE Report of Vehicle Movements Wednesday 16th February 1983 from 12:15 to 21:00 hours Units Involved: Hindmarsh Valley - 3 Units,  Lower Inman - 1 Unit Calls Signs: Victor 3,  Victor 4,  Victor 5,  Victor 9 Crews: Victor 3 WT Henderson D Hutchesson G Hutchesson P Spilsbury D Chapman Victor 4 G Maslin K Weinert J Green T Brown Victor 5 M Blesing V Osmond C Pryde Victor 9 B Lintern T Lintern R Brown D Kluske The call to proceed to the fire area was made from the District Council of Victor Harbor Office at approximately 12:15 hours. The direction received and passed on to crews was to take the road to the right, about half-way between Willunga and McLaren Vale. Due to the speed of travel of the fire, the vehicles took the Meadows Road from the top of Willunga Hill and assembled on this road about 13:30 hours. This road was blocked and the Deputy Supervisor (WT Henderson), in charge of four units, advised the police on duty that the units would turn back and proceed to the fire front via alternative roads. All units took Proctors Road from the Meadows Road onto the Yundi Road, heading east, turned south onto Blackfellow Creek Road, onto the Nangkita Road, heading east onto the Ashbourne Road, arriving at the property called 'Kondaparinga' on the Ashbourne Road at 14:45 hours. All units, accompanied by one Ashbourne unit, proceeded to the homestead of Dick Rymill and were positioned at or near the dwelling and associated building approximately 300 yards to the north of the eastern end of Cox's Scrub at 15:00 hours, just prior in the fire reaching the homestead, although at that time the fire had entered Cox's Scrub but, due to blinding smoke and dust, it was difficult to determine the full extent of the fire. A report was received via the radio from Willunga that the change had arrived at Willunga - time being approximately 15:01 hours. The wind change (south west) arrived at Cox's Scrub approximately 15:20. At this time, Cox's Scrub was described as having exploded and all units and crews experienced extreme heat and lack of oxygen. One fireman received burns to legs, arms and face and some others experienced giddiness or temporary black out, due to lack of oxygen. Fires were extinguished on and around the house where the two elderly occupants were still sheltering. Victor 4 remained in this location, giving aid to the occupants to control small outbreaks until approximately 17:30 hours, at which time they proceeded via Pethick Road to the Pethick home, meeting with units 3 and 9. Victor 5 left the Rymill Property after the fire had passed and returned to the Ashbourne Road, where they attempted to stop the fire from crossing the Ashbourne Road, but failed to do so and reported to Willunga base that the fire was burning on the eastern side of the Ashbourne Road and then proceeded north up the Ashbourne Road in search of water. Approximately 1/2 kilometre along the Ashbourne Road from the north east corner of Cox's Scrub they passed a house in the last stages of total destruction by fire. A Mr McMahon inquired of them whether the woman had got out. The crew, having just arrived, indicated that they did not know at which time the house was destroyed. They proceeded to the Ashbourne Oval but no water was available, so they proceeded north up the Bull Creek Road and picked up an elderly woman from the road side. They continued about two miles past McHargs Creek Road, at which point they turned back for McHargs Creek corner where they filled their tanks. The woman was re-united with her brother at the point where she was picked and the unit reassembled with Victor 3 and 4 at Myer Road. They then moved south along the Ashbourne Road to a property adjoining Mr McMahon's to check on a building, then toward Strathalbyn via the Ashbourne/Strathalbyn Road and proceeded to extinguish a fire which had crossed that road. With units 3 and 4 they then filled with water and moved onto Strathalbyn for petrol. All crew received treatment at Strathalbyn for eye damage and irritation. The three Hindmarsh Valley units then proceeded to Paris Creek Road area and acted under instruction of Geoff Moran of Strathalbyn CFS. Victor 3 left the Rymill property and obtained water from Barry Starks at the Finnis River; they proceeded into Ashbourne and then returned along the Ashbourne Road where they picked up a woman and checked a house ("Nowilla"). They then met with Victor 4 and 5 at Myer Road corner and proceeded to Pethicks where they carried out control work on the house and other buildings with Victor 4. They then proceeded to Strathalbyn via the Ashbourne/Strathalbyn Road. Victor 9 - On leaving Rymill's property, the workman cottage was extinguished (later burnt out), proceeded to Ashbourne Oval with an injured fireman who was treated and later admitted to the Strathalbyn Hospital. The unit then attended several houses and sheds in that area, until they re-assembled with other units at Myer Road/Ashbourne Road junction. They proceeded then to Pethick's property and, after extinguishing trees near buildings, returned to Ashbourne Oval to check on injured crew member. They found he had been transferred to Strathalbyn Hospital, so took the Ashbourne/Strathalbyn Road, filled their tank at B Kluske's property and proceeded to the outskirt of Strathalbyn and onto the Paris Creek Road and continued working in the vicinity of the Paris Creek Hall. AIl units and crews continued to work in this area until relieved by changeover crews at approximately 21:00 hours at the Paris Creek fire shed. Rain, which had commenced to fall lightly at about 20:30 was falling heavily at the time of changing crews. The above report is the result of a meeting held at the Office of the District Council of Victor Harbor, at which all crew members listed above were present. The report has been assembled by DN Jenkins 30/3/83 DN JENKINS CFS Supervisor