By Shelby Brooks and Marcus Uhe
Sparks from fireworks caused a small blaze in Tooradin following a Christmas celebration on Friday 16 December.
Firefighters were called to the Christmas on the Foreshore event around 10pm, after an area of mangroves caught alight following the fireworks display.
Devon Meadows Fire Brigade captain Nathan Thorp attended the carols ceremony before being called to action.
“It was deep in the mangroves and we were not able to access the flames,” Mr Thorp said.
“There was a fair distance of water between the shore and mangroves.
“Our best course of action was to monitor it and separate the trucks between the initial burn and monitor which way the wind was going, to ensure the whole bank was covered.”
He said it served as an alert for anyone thinking of letting off their own pyrotechnics over summer.
“It’s a timely reminder about not only the risk of fire they present, but injury risk as well.”
The fire was quite small at around 50 square metres, a CFA spokesperson said.
No buildings were affected by the fire and it was monitored until after midnight. Crews left the scene around midnight once the fire had died out.
Four CFA tankers and crews attended from Tooradin, Blind Bight–Warneet and Devon Meadows brigades.
The fireworks, set off at around 9.45pm, marked the culmination of the event, after performances from Tooradin Primary School Choir, Tooradin Callisthenics Club, the La-Brooy Family, Cathy Dobson, Jessica Santilli, Bethany Fisher and Paul Sykes.
Despite the unfortunate incident, Ross Wilkie from the Tooradin Foreshore committee of management said the show made a triumphant return for the annual event.
“It was a fantastic night,” Mr Wilkie said.
“We had a really good large crowd well in excess of 2000 people.
“The site was full, there were people watching from the highway down to the boat ramp.
“Everyone was well behaved and there was a terrific police presence, not that they were required.”
