Sprinklers Protect House on Black Saturday

Footage showing a home bushfire suppression system being tested six days before the Black Saturday bushfires in Clonbinane, Victoria, Australia, and then footage of the firestorm that came through the town.

Filmed by CFA volunteer Trevor Vienet.

Trevor said: " I saved my own home due to my fire suppression system but I lost one neighbour and 10 homes closest to me were all destroyed. I rescued the next door neighbour and his dog. Both suffered burns fleeing their burning home. I nursed both of them until we could them out around 10 am next morning. The dog (Jedda) will be OK. She was transferred to Essendon Vet clinic for intensive care. They offered to pay the bills which are now close to $20,000! My neighbour Royce spent several days in hospital. His family left early but he stayed to fight the fire. His losses includes his home , work vehicle and all his tools. He is a welder and one of his acetylene cylinders landed on the other side of my dam. This is about 300 metres away.

I lost all my sheds and equipment including my beloved BMW bike. I am happy to live to tell the story."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• CFA
• Country Fire Authority
• fires
• Black Saturday
• Victoria
• Australia
• bushfires

[rvpKellz]

So the house survived?

[cfavic]

yes

[Charzy2111]

great to hear your smoke detector in the background..not the toast this time and no time to smash the begeezus out of it.

[MAKER6450]

holy shit...it looked like hell out there...im sure it wouldve felt like it.

[Imaginationplay123]

@cfavic Is there any chance of more information on this set up?

Diesel pump and size, water source, irrigation material and size, sprinklers used, head, etc?

I understand the legalities in this system not being 100% safe but would be interested to see how they set it up, etc?

Cheers for any advice

[MrPuddingate]

good work on the sprinkler system dude your a very clever man

[KidsWithGuns1992]

@instante101 That's my point, I would have just left, screw staying behind to defend yourself - there's really nothing you can do when you have a blazing inferno surrounding all of your house.

[instante101]

@KidsWithGuns1992 That reaction is how people die. Leave early, or stay and defend.

[rubythepigrules]

The fire storm was so hot that day that the radiant heat melted my skin and it burnt my leg muscles down to the bone, that shows how hot it was.

[bandicootgully]

When the fire is that close there is no choice but to stay inside away from the 600C+ radiant heat. The back up plan was the large dam which is 25 metres from the front door. When the fire fronts pass and the home is alight there is normally enough time to get to the water safely. Yes i was shit scared but not too scared not to video tape it. I have 20 years of fire fighting experience. The last 2 hours before the fire i was updating advising others to leave early.

[KidsWithGuns1992]

Regardless, it was very silly of you to stay in your house when the fire got that close.

[jarelynmonroe]

i can't believe you stayed in the house with just sprinklers to protect you. i mean, it's great that they worked! don't get me wrong. i just mean, wouldn't you still leave anyway? weren't you terrified?

[Keruaran]

No matter how prepared you are, a firestorm like that is still very scary stuff.

[MUDSWAT]

You know this is like spiting on a campfire, your lucky you and your house are OK.