COUNTRY Fire Authority crews battled a seven-hectare fire sparked after a mulcher hit a rock at an old Seppelt vineyard near Armstrong’s Jonathan Gully Road on Wednesday afternoon.
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Nine vehicles responded to the fire at 1.50pm after a nine-litre water tank at the property was not enough to contain the blaze.
It was finally brought under control at about 6pm with the help of aircraft from Stawell.
Ararat group officer Max McLean said the fire took time to control because trucks had to navigate wires in the old vineyard.
“Because of the vines, it was difficult to get in among the wires,” he said.
“They had taken all the old vines out two or three years ago but there weren’t any new vines in there so there was lots of long grass.
“Because it was so close to the Stawell airbase, the air bombers were quick to get there, then return refuel and come back again.”
Mr McLean said staff had done nothing wrong and all the required fire safety equipment had been present when the fire started.
“The staff from Seppelt were using a mulcher in the vineyard, it hit a rock and they used a nine-litre tanker on their tractor to put it out but it got away from them,” he said.
“They had all the required equipment but you just have to be really careful.”
Seppelt staff were preparing the old vineyard for new vines when the fire started.
Spokesperson Zoe Lane said the company had not lost any current vintages in the blaze.
“No current vineyards were impacted because there weren’t any there,” she said.
“There was no damage to vines, only some native vegetation.
“They were doing works for future use – it is not great news but it is okay.”
It was the second fire caused by machinery in the area within a week, after a header also caused a 14-hectare blaze on a property at Rossbridge on Monday.
Mr McLean said it was important to consider weather and ground conditions while working.
