Water-bombers Called In As Houses Threatened

The Age

Thursday January 20, 2005

SASHA SHTARGOT

A GRASSFIRE briefly threatened up to 15 houses at Taggerty, near Eildon, in hot conditions yesterday afternoon.

Firefighters took two hours to bring under control the blaze that started at 12.15pm near the Taggerty-Thornton Road.

CFA spokesman Alex Twomey said the fire burned through 50 hectares and was moving south towards the houses when it was contained. He said 135 firefighters in 27 trucks fought the blaze with the help of three water-bombing helicopters. The cause of the fire was yet to be determined.

Meanwhile, a small grassfire that burned through 10 hectares at Torquay closed the Surf Coast Highway yesterday afternoon.

CFA officers took 30 minutes to bring the fire, at Messmate Road, under control.

© 2005 The Age

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