Healesville alert easing

By Melissa Meehan
AS THE smoke clears over the town of Healesville many tired eyes look to the blue sky above.
For the past week Healesville residents have been on high alert, worrying that fires burning to the south-east and north of the town would make their way to homes.
Last Thursday night more than 900 people filled the Memorial Hall to attend one of many community meetings asking a lot of questions.
The next day Healesville was on high alert as flames came to within akilometre of the town but that night only about 100 attended a similar meeting.
The Maroondah Highway was blocked off again, as it was earlier that week, at Boato Craigo, not far out of the town.
Fires also reached Camerons Road, near the high school, Donnellys Weir Road and Meyers Creek Road with fears flames would spread towards Chum Creek again.
Sergeant Tony van Gorp, who has co-ordinated the Healesville area for the past week, said the community had responded “magnificently” supporting victims of the blaze.
“We lost houses in Toolangi and Old Healesville Dixons Creek Road, and a couple of lives were lost up there,” he said.
“The general community has been great.”
He described the evening of Black Saturday as “something of a catastrophe”.
“Our police members worked many hours and have been stressed at times, but they did the best they could,” he said. “It was a unique experience for many.”
There had not been a major fire with this kind of impact around Healesville for many years.
“It has been something completely alien for a lot of people,” Sergeant van Gorp said.
Authorities have confirmed there was some fire damage in the upper reaches of the Maroondah and Upper Yarra catchments.
Fires are still active in both catchments.
While the immediate risk to reservoirs and dams is considered limited, some water is being transferred between reservoirs and away from fire activity.
The O’Shannassy catchment, near Warburton, has been damaged by fire, however, the area immediately surrounding the reservoir is not affected.
The Thomson catchment, which feeds Melbourne’s biggest reservoir, remains untouched.
“It will take time to fully assess any long-term impacts on the water system as a whole, especially as fire authorities are still working to contain several trouble spots,” Water Minister Tim Holding said.
“We remain confident that impacts can be minimised,” he said.
“Melbourne’s reserves are held in nine separate storages so we can move water between these storages to meet Melbourne’s water needs.”
A water-bombing helicopter has been in almost constant service since Black Saturday, protecting the catchments and providing support to other firefighting efforts.
More than 100 Melbourne Water personnel, including trained firefighters, are also helping out.
Melbourne Water is assisting fire authorities in establishing more fire breaks around catchments, in addition to the 120-plus kilometres already in place.