By Mikayla van Loon
Fire fighters were called to the first major grass fire of the season on Monday 13 December with multiple crews battling the blaze in the early afternoon.
Montrose Fire Brigade along with neighbouring CFA brigades responded to a large grass and scrub fire off Pickwood Close in Montrose at around 2pm.
More than 10 fire appliances were required on scene to control the blaze that broke out close to houses.
Fire fighters had to access the fire through private property off Cambridge Road.
On arrival, crews found that the fire had spread to a pile of about 80 logs, with heavy machinery needed to break open the log fire.
VicEmergency released a smoke warning for Kalorama, Kilsyth, Lilydale, Montrose, Mooroolbark, Mount Dandenong and Mount Evelyn at around 3pm and then again at 5pm.
The fire was made safe around this time but crews remained on scene throughout the afternoon, to make the scene safe and monitor the blaze.
Although rain has fallen over the last few weeks, Montrose Fire Brigade issued a warning of what a couple of sunny days can do to grassland in a short amount of time.
Warmer weather can “change the dynamics quickly” a post read and with summer on the horizon, it is a timely warning for what may come.
