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Bushfire MemorialPrint Page 
A monument commemorates the five Geelong West volunteers firefighters who lost their lives while protecting Linton from a bushfire in 1998.
On 2 December 1998, a bushfire burned through private land and state forest near the township of Linton, and fire fighters from the Department of Natural Resources and Country Fire Authority (CFA) were deployed to fight the fire. At approximately 20:45 hrs, two CFA tankers and their crews were trapped and engulfed in fire following an unexpected wind change. The crew of one of those trucks, five men from Geelong, all volunteers from the Geelong West Brigade were killed.
The coronial inquest examining the fire and the deaths was one of the longest-running inquests in the history of the state. This inquest led to changes in safety operating procedures in the CFA.
Location
| Address: | Sussex Street, Linton, 3360 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -37.6826303 Long: 143.565758 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Disaster |
| Sub-Theme: | Fire |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 02-December-1988 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 02-December-1988 |
| Link: | http://monumentaustralia.org.au/sea… |
Dedication
The people of Linton and Snake Valley have erected this monument in honour of five Geelong West volunteer firefighters who gave their lives protecting Linton from bushfire of 2 December 1998.
The fire started at Snake Valley about 1pm and by mid afternoon threatened Linton. The Geelong West crew attended as part of an emergency strike team from the Geelong area.
A major wind change at 8.45 caused the entrapment of the Geelong West crew when fire suddenly engulfed their tanker.
In their honour a monument has also been placed in the nearby forest by the local communities.
