A deadly summer claims boy, 12

By DAVID ELIAS

A 12-year old boy has died in the first major bushfires of a potentially deadly summer.

His body was found in Ferny Creek yesterday afternoon but police were witholding details until relatives had been notified.

Last night the CFA said at least 44 houses in the Dandenongs were destroyed, another two were lost in another big fire at Creswick, near Ballarat, and hundreds of people were evacuated from threatened homes.

During a torrid afternoon of high north winds and searing temperatures, more than 1500 firefighters and six firebombing aircraft tackled blazes on seven main fronts and at least as many spotfires.

The most serious fires were centred on the main ridge of the Dandenongs and at Arthurs Seat. In Gippsland holidaymakers were forced to flee camp sites near the 90-Mile Beach at Seaspray as a blaze that has smouldered for eight days gathered new strength behind winds that at times gusted up to 60 kph.

At 7pm a cool change cut temperatures by 15 degrees but with a change in wind direction two of the Dandenongs fires continued to create havoc.

As CFA officials took stock of the day's damage they held concerns that this could just be a foretaste of things to come if the high temperatures return and the state continues to dry out during the next two months.
The chief fire officer, Mr Trevor Roche said: ``This is a real problem for us. There are six weeks of summer to go and there seems to be a pattern to the hot weather and no sign of significant rain ahead.''

Mr Roche appealed for public cooperation, especially from people in vulnerable areas to clear up around their homes.

The Premier, Mr Jeff Kennett, said he would be guided by the CFA on whether to declare a state of emergency.

As hundreds of evacuees gathered at recreation reserves and community halls in the Dandenongs and the Mornington Peninsula, the Red Cross set up a 24-hour emergency information service on (03)96868333 for people anxious to learn the whereabouts of relatives and friends.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment said there were further forest fires near the Delatite Arm of Lake Eildon, at Creswick near Ballarat and south east of Gellibrand near Colac.

The CFA said there had also been fires at Broadford, Teddy Waddy on the Calder Highway and Heathcote.
The day of drama started shortly before 11am when a fire at Kalorama swept up towards the observatory on the Mount Dandenong summit.

Another blaze had begun in the park near Upper Ferntree Gully. It swept up the steep timbered face of the hill towards One Tree Hill and Tremont. Once the fire reached the top of the ridge the high winds scattered buring embers over populated streets towards Upwey, and Belgrave. Houses in the Tremont, Ferny Creek and Upwey region began to explode.

Later, Mr John Irving told how he and a neighbor fought with a hose and buckets of water to save his home in Alpine Avenue, Ferny Creek, when all else around him were destroyed.

``I've put most of my life into this house. Nothing would compensate for losing it. Without the help of my neighbor, all would have been lost,'' he said.

Almost similtaneously more fires had started in Kilsyth, Kalorama, Mountt Dandenong and Belgrave South.

By midday fire officers called for the evacuation of homes across the top of the main ridge of the Dandenongs from Montrose throught Kalorama, Mount Dandenong, Olinda, Sassafras, Ferny Creek and Tremont.

The Met closed the railway line between Bayswater and Belgrave and stopped running buses along the Burwood Highway between Fernteree Gully and Belgrave.

Roadblocks were set up on the Mountain Highway, the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road and the Basin-Olinda Road to keep all but essential fire fighting personnel out.

The CFA said more than 1500 firefighters had fought the blazes with no reports of serious injury. They had used 300 appliances and had lost only two vehicles in the flames.

But firefighter ranks were stretched and a call was put out over radio stations for off-duty officers to put themselves on stand-by.

Six firebombing aircraft, including two Canadian planes being held in reserve by the Victorian Government in Adelaide, were called in. A seventh aircraft with infra-red scanning equipment overflew the Dandenongs to determine the extent of the fire to help the CFA and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment with strategic planning.