Against a background of heavy smoke, a helicopter heads in to drop water on the fire in inaccessible country near Gerogery. Picture: KYLIE ESLER
MORNING UPDATE: The bushfire east of Gerogery has now grown to 148 hectares.
The fire is currently being controlled.
FIREFIGHTERS were working frantically last night to contain a bushfire east of Gerogery in a deep gully of heavy scrub.
The blaze, which started at 2.30pm from a lightning strike, grew from three hectares to 50 hectares from 5pm to 9pm.
Rural Fire Service duty officer John McGrath said he hoped to control the fire overnight.
“It’s being contained, it’s not controlled by any means,” Mr McGrath said.
“We’re hoping to be on top of it by tonight.”
Planes and heavy machinery were sent to battle the fire, which is burning in inaccessible country.
Authorities hoped a dozer would be able to build fire trails around the blaze.
“There are plenty of trucks and firefighters but they can’t do anything at the moment,” RFS Inspector Marg Wehner said.
She said several fires had started in the area but most were easily extinguished because they were in open country.
