Bushfires make for busy week

FIREFIGHTERS were in the thick of the action at two serious regional blazes last week as predictions of a horror fire season shape to be alarmingly true.
CFA crews from several local brigades joined Department of Sustainability and Environment crews at a fire near the Bunyip state forest on Thursday.
Crews have also helped fight a longrunning blaze at the Morwell open cut mine which has burned for several days.
A joint management team with shared DSE and CFA resources was set up at Pakenham to help fight the fire in and around the state forest.
The fires broke out as high temperatures and gusty northerly winds lashed much of the area.
Residents in Bunyip and surrounding areas could see smoke but were told there was no cause for alarm.
The Gentle Annie fire in state forest near Labertouche burnt a total of three hectares.
And a fire on private land in the Forest Road area near the southern boundary of Bunyip State Park burnt one hectare before it was controlled by CFA crews.
DSE incident controller Rocky Barca said bulldozer operators played a key role in tracking and surrounding the fires.
At least 35 firefighters fought the blaze, with several tankers and slipon units.
Two helicopters and a fixed wing aircraft was also used to monitor the fire but were grounded due to strong winds.
DSE firefighters from Gembrook joined local CFA crews in the firefight.
Pakenham CFA has already had more than 250 callouts this year.