WA: Highway reopened after wind change curbs fire danger

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2008
WA: Highway reopened after wind change curbs fire danger

PERTH, Feb 17 AAP - Western Australia's Great Eastern Highway has been reopened after
a wind change stopped a fire heading towards it.

WA's Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) tonight said fire crews had contained
a blaze burning south of the highway between Southern Cross and Coolgardie and a change
in wind direction had changed the status of the blaze burning north of the road in the
Goldfields Woodlands National Park.

The fires, east of Perth, were two of four that were started by lightning strikes yesterday.

The DEC said crews had worked today to contain a fire to the north of the highway heading
south before a southerly change came through, halting its advance.

The southerly change was expected to hold overnight and tomorrow, keeping the fire
north of the road.

Fire crews today also put in containment lines around one of the last of three blazes
burning to the highway's south.

Crews had worked through last night using heavy putting containment lines around the
other two fires south of the highway.

"Today, they concentrated on the fire to the north and began putting in containment
lines to prevent it heading south to the highway under the influence of northerly winds,"

the DEC said in a statement.

"A southerly change has come in and it is predicted to hold overnight and tomorrow,
which will keep it north of the highway."

"DEC brought in additional fire crews and resources from the south-west and wheatbelt
to assist the Department's Goldfields region staff in Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie Shire
volunteer fire brigades.

"Personnel from the Fire and Emergency Authority, Police and Main Roads also are assisting."

A helicopter was flown to the fire earlier today so DEC fire management staff could
accurately survey the fires.

DEC's Goldfields Regional Manager Ian Kealley said fire crews were now completing containment
and mopping up around the two fires nearest the highway. The two fires well to the south
of the highway will continue to be monitored.

Further thunderstorms for the Goldfields have been predicted and the DEC says there
could be more fires over the next day or so, mainly to the east of Kalgoorlie.

Meanwhile, the Ajana-Kalbarri road through Kalbarri National Park north of Geraldton
on the mid-west coast was re-opened at 9am (WDT) today after a crews brought a bushfire
in the park that began last Tuesday under control.

AAP cdh/sjk

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES WA HIGHWAY

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