LIGHTNING strikes caused multiple grassfires in the district on Thursday afternoon which were attended by several local CFA appliances and volunteers.

Around 2.30pm the first call came in with two vehicles initially attending a small fire at Woorndoo that was quickly brought under control around 3pm, whilst another bushfire was reported at Woodhouse near Dunkeld, approximately 10 hectares in size that took longer to bring under control.

The latter was travelling in a south-westerly direction towards Hamilton-Chatsworth Road.

A smaller fire to the northeast of Hamilton-Chatsworth Road was reported at around the same time, that was attended by nine vehicles and was quickly brought under control.

A bushfire was also reported on C Frys Rd, Victoria Valley, shortly afterward with five vehicles initially responding and reportedly under control by 5pm.

At around 3pm several more grass fires broke out from lightning strikes in and around Penshurst, including along the Hamilton-Penshurst Road, Macarthur-Penshurst Road, and Ritchie Street Penshurst as well as one travelling along the Penshurst-Warrnambool Road in a south-easterly direction towards Gerrigerrup.

Another grassfire travelled from west and south of Penshurst in a south-easterly direction towards Gerrigerrup.

There were two at Waller Road, Penshurst at the foot of Mount Rouse that eventually merged.

Local resources had already been called to the Woodhouse fire which delayed response took some time to get units from further away but were waylaid by another fire on the way.

“All resources were stretched pretty early on but the three fire bombing planes and one firebombing helicopter as well as a couple of observation aircraft really helped,” district 5 commander Rob Howell said.

“We had a couple of graders from the Shire and local landholders also providing their firetankers and bulk water carriers in there.

“That country is full of stone and it makes it very difficult to navigate through the rocks – the fire spreads well – the grass is quite long and the vehicle can end up damaged so that’s when the aircraft really helps.”

Two strikes teams of around four to fire appliances were called, one from Hopkins Curdie group, Naringal brigade and another from the Belfast group.

Sudden and severe thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall that led to flash flooding in parts of the south west and Wimmera districts, including Edenhope and Hamilton.

At around 5.10pm a heavier downpour contributed to extinguishing the fires.

They are all under control now and there is one strike team at Mount Rouse on Friday monitoring the Waller Road fire that was helped extinguished by some rain.

“The clean up is underway but fortunately there is no real danger from killer trees,” commander Howell said.

In addition to the fire concerns, heavy rains which followed were the subject of potential for riverine flood advice, issued in the Glenelg River catchment area, including risk of flooding of Bryan Creek at Coleraine.