A FIRE which broke out in bushland on the outskirts of Wonthaggi last Wednesday, January 8, has been linked to construction work on the Bass Coast Shire Council’s $7.7million Inverloch to Wonthaggi pathway.
According to a spokesman for the CFA, more than 20 appliances, including 18 fire trucks and numerous ultra-light vehicles, supported by a water-bombing helicopter, attacked the scrub and grass fire beside the road easement, which is an extension of Moore’s Road, south of Wonthaggi.
The fire, which was located about 1km east of the residential settlement know as ‘Pommy Town’, off Cape Paterson Road, is believed to have started at about 12 noon, with local brigades called out at around 12.25pm.
A spokesperson for the shire said circumstances surrounding the incident were still being assessed.
“Bass Coast Shire Council can confirm that a fire occurred on-site at the Wonthaggi-Inverloch Path on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. The fire was caused when a subcontractor struck a hidden timber post during works,” said a shire spokesperson.
“An incident report is currently being prepared to assess the circumstances. We are committed to prioritising safety and will ensure appropriate measures are in place to prevent similar incidents in the future.”
Temperatures on the day reached a high of 30 degrees and while winds were initially light, they did strengthen to 30km/h later in the afternoon, by which time fire crews had the blaze under control.
“If we had those winds earlier it might have been a different story,” said the CFA spokesman who also noted the difficulty fire fighters had combating the blaze due to unstable trees.
While the fire was contained to bush and grass some distance away from houses on the outskirts of Wonthaggi, long dry grass, especially along the unused road easement, was of concern.
Part of the 14km inland route for the riding and walking trail between Inverloch and Wonthaggi, will include the unused Moore’s Road easement, past the site of last Wednesday’s fire.
The pathway is presently under construction, with sections at both the Wonthaggi and Inverloch ends already completed.
It is expected to be completed in mid-2026.