Pulletop bushfire

The Pulletop bushfire, officially referred to as the Wandoo fire, started on the 6 February 2006 in hot dry and windy weather conditions approximately 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of Wagga Wagga in the Australian state of New South Wales.[2] The fire was thought to have been started by sparks from a tractor on a property at Pulletop which quickly got out of control. The New South Wales Rural Fire Service declared a bushfire emergency and the Hume Highway was closed[3] late in the afternoon with fears that the fire would threaten the towns of Humula, Book Book, Livingstone and Kyeamba after 10 square kilometres (3.9 sq mi) of farmland was burnt.[2][4] By 7 February 2006 milder conditions helped firefighters to control the fire burning in inaccessible country.[5][6][7]

Pulletop bushfire
The Pulletop bushfire as seen from Wagga Wagga
LocationPulletop, Riverina, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates35°30′39″S 147°26′48″E
Statistics[1]
Date(s)6 February 2006 (2006-02-06) – 19 February 2006 (2006-02-19)
Burned area9,000 hectares (22,000 acres)
CauseSpark from a tractor
Land useFarmland
Map
Location of the fire in New South Wales

Overview

Over 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres) of farmland was burnt and the following damage reported:[8]

  • 2,500 sheep killed
  • 6 cattle killed
  • 3 vehicles destroyed
  • 2 hay sheds destroyed
  • 50 kilometres (31 mi) of fencing burnt
  • Pine plantations worth A$5 million were destroyed, including a communications installation
  • A natural disaster was declared
  • MODIS Aqua satellite image of the bushfire on 6 February 2006.

See also

References
  1. Knox, Joe; Schroder, Matthew (2006). "'Can do' attitude at Wandoo fire 6-19 February 2006 Wagga Section 44" (PDF). Bush Fire Bulletin. 28 (01): 17. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  2. "RFS declares bushfire emergency". ABC News. Australia. 6 February 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  3. "Bushfire closes Hume Highway". ABC News. Australia. 7 February 2006.
  4. "Blue Mountains Firefighters dispatched to Wagga". New South Wales Rural Fire Service. New South Wales Government. 27 February 2006. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  5. "Mild weather helps battle against Pulletop blaze". ABC News. Australia. 7 February 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
  6. "Firefighters still tackling big south-western blaze". ABC News. Australia. 7 February 2006.
  7. "Firefighters hope to contain south-west blaze". ABC News. Australia. 8 February 2006.
  8. "Bushfire prompts natural disaster declaration". ABC News. Australia. 15 February 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
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