Saturday, Apr 02, 2005 at 18:06
Hundreds stranded by bushfire
A 700-hectare bushfire has left hundreds of campers stranded on a beach in Victoria today.
The fire at Wilsons Promontory National Park began about midnight last night when strong winds whipped up a controlled fuel reduction burnoff being carried out by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
DSE spokeswoman Alex Fisher said the fire was centred on the
Tidal River area, a popular tourist destination about 30km inside the park boundary.
The camping ground at
Tidal River had been evacuated and 544 people were now taking shelter from the fire on
the beach at
Norman Bay.
"They are all safe and
well and accounted for," Ms Fisher said.
The police helicopter this morning checked the
walking tracks in the area to make sure no bushwalkers were threatened by the fire.
Ms Fisher said 94 firefighters and police were working on the fire and six aircraft were on the way and would soon begin water bombing the blaze.
Rough terrain was making fighting the fire difficult as were weather conditions, with the temperature already heading towards 30 degrees.
[color=yellow]The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a gale warning for Wilsons Promontory and has forecast Northerly winds gusting to 35 knots.[/color]
Ms Fisher said the strong winds overnight had been unexpected and the DSE was always careful about when they carried out controlled burns.
"If the conditions weren't right we wouldn't commence a burn," she said.
Wilsons 'Prom' has a 130 km coastline and contains the largest coastal wilderness area in Victoria.
- AAP
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