Freeway fire threatened homes

By Caitlin Bewley
(3^rd Yr Swinburne Uni)

Pentland Hills fell victim to an unexpected blaze which led to residents of surrounding towns being told to prepare for action.
Vic Emergency issued a warning for Bacchus Marsh, Darley, Myrniong and Pentland Hills residents to consider evacuating after a grass fire started on Friday 31 January.
Houses along the Western Freeway were most at risk, with the blaze burning on the east bound side of the road and on the median strip. In total three fires were in close proximity of each other with large round hay bales igniting in a paddock.
The State Control Centre said, “six trucks and air support attended the fire, and it took around an hour to bring the fire under control.”
A Vic Roads spokesperson told the Moorabool News, “Emergency services notified us that a full closure of the Western Freeway was required due to a fire at Pentland Hills on at 7pm on Friday last week.”
“Working alongside emergency services, we detoured traffic via through Bacchus Marsh, Gisborne, Woodend and Trentham.
“The freeway was reopened to traffic shortly after 9pm,” the spokesperson said.
Facebook users commented on a recent Moorabool News Facebook post questioning whether it was a cigarette butt that may have started the fire.
The cause of the fire remains suspicious with Moorabool CIU continuing to investigate the matter.