Ash Wednesday
Wednesday 16 February 1983 started off as a far from normal day. At 7am the temperature had already reached 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit), there was a strong northerly wind blowing and it had been declared a day of Total Fire Ban. There had been a drought in the year just past and the country was as dry as could be. Later in the day, the humidity would reach an all-time low, around the 10% mark.
Over 200 fires were reported on this day all over the state, with emergency crews stretched to the limit. By 3:00 pm the temperature had reached 43 °C (109 °F) and the humidity was at 8% with a northerly wind reaching 105 km/h (57 kn; 65 mph). All hell was about to break loose. A fire was reported in South Belgrave and was approaching townships at great speed. Tankers from Narre Warren, Berwick, Cockatoo and Belgrave were dispatched to the South Belgrave area. By this time there were large fires burning in Cockatoo and Beaconsfield, and a wind change was predicted for midnight so everyone had to dig deep to prepare for the change.
At 8:55pm that evening, 3 hours earlier than expected, the unimaginable occurred. The change came through.
A Mayday call was received from Narre Warren tanker that they and another tanker from Panton Hill were in trouble and trapped. They were situated on St Georges Road, Upper Beaconsfield, on the top of a hill. When the change came through the fire travelled from High St, up the hill to St Georges Rd, a distance of half a kilometre, in 11 Seconds. With such speed and ferocity, they never stood a chance. The radio went dead, fire-fighters were fighting for their own lives, trying to take cover by getting under their trucks for protection. Usually a wind change will last 15 minutes and then the rain comes, this one lasted two hours and there was no rain.
Forty-seven people, firefighters and civilians, were to die on this day at fires all over the state. Forty-six of these people died when the wind changed. The fire was later recorded by experts to have produced 120,000 kW of energy for every one metre of the fire line. A firefighter can stand up to 4,000 kW of energy.
At dawn the next morning two burnt out fire trucks and twelve fire fighters were discovered by Narre Warren First Lieutenant, Frank Clarke at St Georges Rd, Upper Beaconsfield. One of those on the truck was his Captain, and 5 other members from Narre Warren. May they never be forgotten and may they rest in peace.
Recently, with the help of the City of Casey, a memorial to the Firefighters that lost their lives on Ash Wednesday was established within the Narre Warren area. It is located on the corner of Princes Hwy and Magid Drive, Narre Warren. Further along Magid Drive, from where the memorial is located, is a row of trees that was planted soon after the Ash Wednesday fires. Seven of these trees are dedicated to the Narre Warren Firefighters that lost their lives.
Read more about this topic: Narre Warren Fire Brigade
Famous quotes containing the words ash and/or wednesday:
“For it’s home, dearie, home—it’s home I want to be.
Our topsails are hoisted, and we’ll away to sea.
O, the oak and the ash and the bonnie birken tree
They’re all growing green in the old countrie.”
—William Ernest Henley (1849–1903)
“Moneys is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say,
“Hath a dog money? Is it possible
A cur can lend three thousand ducats?” Or
Shall I bend low and in a bondman’s key,
With bated breath and whispering humbleness,
Say this:
“Fair sir, you spat on me on Wednesday last,
You spurned me such a day, another time
You called me dog; and for these courtesies
I’ll lend you thus much moneys?””
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)