 Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this special service to acknowledge the Ash Wednesday fires four years ago this Thursday, the 16th of February. My name is Peter Shaw, I'm a member of the CFA Board and the CFA Volunteer. It's my great honour to be here today to lead you through this afternoon's service as your master of ceremonies. Firstly, welcome to all of you who have gathered here today, many of you have travelled long distances to take part in the ceremony and we thank you for your attendance. Across this venue we have people located in different areas and we acknowledge those family members, friends and brigade colleagues of the firefighters who lost their lives on the day who are with us in the Memorial Garden. We have a number of community members who are supporting this event and we thank you for attending to show your support. We also acknowledge all of those who were not able to travel and are here by watching this event online. We will be switching between the cameras during the service but you should be able to see the proceedings on the screens, whether they are in the marquee, the Memorial Garden or in the amphitheatre. During today's service we'll be laying wreaths in the Memorial Garden to honour our fallen firefighters and at this time we will welcome and invite family members and brigades to come forward if they wish to place a floral tribute. Most of you will have been provided with memorial pin or ribbon. However if you missed out please be sure to collect one before you leave here today. For the house keeping, before we formally begin I'd just like to run through a few house keeping points. There are toilets located throughout the precinct, in the education centre, community hall, bowls club and beside the marquee. There are water bottles available, if you need medical attention during the service and John's ambulance volunteers are on hand beside the Yellingbow Rehab Unit located at the rear of the marquee. Please ensure any children attending the event are supervised by an accompanying parent, garden, guardian or carer at all times. If I can please ask you to have your mobile phones and pages turned off or switched to silent. During the service we may also hear the iconic train Puffing Billy travel through on his regular Sunday service so we may have to pause a while while that occurs. Finally and importantly we know that this service may bring up painful memories and feelings and there is well-being support available here today and in the days to come. So please reach out to our peers and our chaplain who are identifiable by their lanyards and visit the well-being tent beside the First Aid or if ask any of our event staff or volunteers for assistance. Please also use the resources which are outlined on the back of your booklet and on CFA's website. I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of land which we are gathering on today. The Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung, the first people of the land. I pay my respects to elders past and present and extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here today. I'd now like to invite Uncle Elder Uncle Perry Wondon to undertake the welcome to country. Thank you good afternoon everybody as you heard my name is Perry Wondon, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung elder and firstly I'd like to acknowledge all my ancestors both elders both past present and the next merging generation and of course Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. My story is I'm proud elder and I've been handed that during the days of my father who was our last Naurangida, James Juby Wondon. I'm very proud to say that he was the first Aboriginal player to play for that mighty team St Kilda back in 1952-53 with only one premiership but anyway we're hopefully this year. But with my story as I was saying our families moved off Korundur and we've just moved to Hillsville and we've been there ever since and we're not going anywhere either. The rest of our family have moved down to Lake Ties and moved all around the countryside now. With Korundur mission back then as we always say that if we didn't have the CFA I can remember Black Friday and just watching the fireballs come over the chum where I was living and the fright and looks of everybody running around and then Ash Wednesday. I myself was in working for the Hillsville Shire back then and I was in a repair truck for the roads and up in Marisville and I was told to get out because it was coming over the back of what warbed them and which it did. But for those who have lost their lives it's a sad story for all the families and I can only say that Aboriginal people as we try to say now let's try and do traditional burning as much as we can because it's a safer process but when the fires get out of control it's just totally different and in a case of our Wurundur Warung people the fire was a ceremony and it was a cleansing smoking ceremony and usually for the traditional burning it was to regenerate more vegetation in the ground and so forth and that's been going on for thousands and thousands of years. So I thank you very much for inviting me here today to do this and I'm very proud to stand in front of everybody to do a welcome to country. So Werman Janker, Yim and Kundi Bik, Wurundur Warung, Bullock and that says, Leans, welcome to the land of Wurunduri people and I do welcome you and thank you very much. Thank you Uncle Perry. I now invite you to be upstanding for the presentation and placing of the colours and to remain standing for the Australian National Anthem. The CFA Chief Officer will take the salute on behalf of all agencies here today. Let's rejoice for we are free. We've golden swords for toil. Our home is good by sea. Our land abound rich and red. Street's patry stains advance our strides. In joyful strains then let us sing. Advanced Southern Cross will toil with hearts and hands. There's planes to share with cars all combined to advance Australia. In joyful strains then let us sing. Come and be seated. Let's take a moment with the flags. It might be dangerous up here on the stage. I would like to officially extend a warm welcome to you all and acknowledge the presence of a number of distinguished guests who are representing the large number of agency and organisations which were part of the fire response. CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, CFA CEO Natalie McDonald and my fellow board members. Member for Manbolk, Ganyella De Martino MP representing the Minister for Emergency Services. Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Chris, AM, APM. Volunteer Fire Brigades Victorian President Samantha Collins and CEO Adam Barnett and many members of that organisation. Forest Fire Management Victoria Chief Fire Officer Chris Hardman. Fire Rescue Commissioner Ken Block. Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Dave Clayton and APM and Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent. State Emergency Service Acting Chief Operations Officer Alistair Drayton, AFSM. Ambulance Victoria Chief Executive Officer Jane Miller. Parks Victoria Director Fire Emergency and Enforcement David Nugent. Australian Fire and Emergency Services Authority's Council CEO Rob Webb. Australian Red Cross State Manager Emergency Services Fiona Norton and Cardinia Shire Council Deputy Mayor Councillor Jack Kowalski. There are many more representatives from these agencies also in attendance. We also have apologies from a number of people who couldn't be here today and we acknowledge that many will be watching online. Finally a welcome to those firefighters past and present who are involved and the members of the impacted in communities. Today we take the time to reflect on a fire which changed the lives of so many people across our state. As a firefighter at Bayswater at the time I also responded that day and in the following days. Well not on the front line initially I well remember the devastation around this area of Cockatoo. It stayed with me as it has for many of those gathered here today. I now like to introduce Samantha Collins, VFBV State President, to read the call to remembrance. Chief Header, Friends Firefighters we are gathered here in the sight of God as loyal citizens of Australia to honour the memory of those who have died in the service of CFA and our state. As we have gathered at this time let us offer thanks to God for the remembrance of sacrifice made by these members, some known to us, others not known to us. We give thanks to their devotion to duty and we pray for those still mourning their sad loss. We ask that we continue to do our duty and honorably walk in the service to CFA and our communities. Thank you, that's Sam. I now like to introduce the member from Monbalk, Daniela D Martino MP representing the Minister for Emergency Services. Thank you Uncle Perry for your beautiful welcome to country. I too would like to acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging. We continue to draw upon the 60,000 years of knowledge and deep connection to this land which is essential to ensuring the safety and sustainability of our communities. I'd like to join Peter in acknowledging my parliamentary colleagues including Emma Voulan, State Member for Pakenham and a CFA volunteer herself and Michael Galea, State Member for Southeastern Metropolitan Region and dignitaries, members of the emergency services, families and friends. Everyone gathered here today. The attendance here today of so many people is testament to how much the events of Ash Wednesday still resonate so strongly for those across the many communities affected. February 16, 1983 saw one of the worst disasters in the history of this state. A series of fires claimed the lives of 47 Victorians including 14 CFA volunteers. It demonstrated the full horror of bushfires, the strength of communities and the courage of individuals. Nearly 40 years on today is a day to reflect, to honour and to give thanks. It's a day to appreciate just how far we have come in the emergency services sector particularly in terms of resources, technology and support. It's a day to acknowledge the thousands of people, many of whom are with us in Cockatoo today, who battled the fires and protected their communities on Ash Wednesday. Their communities, many of you have lived in, raised families in and volunteered for. As a member for Mombalk, they're communities that I know and love. They're communities that were devastated by the fires 40 years ago but which subsequently drew closer and became more resilient. Most of all, it's a day to honour those who tragically lost their lives protecting their communities. In Nariwaran, in Panton Hill, in Narnargoon, in Wallacedale and indeed right across Victoria, their sacrifice will never be forgotten. Many are represented here today by loved ones. 40 years on, your sense of loss is still profound and your love for them is undiminished. They died trying to save others. They died protecting properties, animals, strangers, friends, family and communities. We honour them today. We will never forget them. I might just move to one side a little bit here. I'd now like to introduce CFH Chief Officer Jason Heffernan who will speak on behalf of the emergency services and firefighters who responded on that day. Thank you, Peter. I too would like to start by thank you for allowing us to come and meet on the lands of your ancestors and I pay my respect to your elders past and present and recognise the strength and resilience of Aboriginal people in this land. It is my honour today to speak on behalf of Chiefs, commissioners, emergency service leaders in and recount of what is and always will be a memorable occasion as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of such a devastating time in Victoria's history. As one of the most bushfire-prone areas of the world, Victoria is no stranger to fire. Fires came before Ash Wednesday and as we all too know, many fires came after Ash Wednesday but despite this experience, 40 years ago in this state was subjected to what was then the most at the time devastating fire emergency, 16th of February 1983. This day is permanently etched into the minds of several generations of Victorians. For many, it still haunts them. You can ask anyone old enough what they remember on that day, what they recall, what were they doing, what were they doing with their family and I'm sure many will be able to recount their experiences and importantly how they felt. These feelings which we acknowledge still run deep in many communities More than 16,000 firefighters from agencies including the CFA, the Forestry Commission which you now know, took Forest Fire Management Victoria, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade now known as Fire Rescue Victoria and many other emergency service agencies and groups involved on that day and importantly the community workers, the councils and the charity organizations that worked tirelessly in the recovery efforts once the fires were put out. They were supported by our police colleagues, our ambulance colleagues, our SES colleagues and many other countless groups. Experienced firefighters recall the nature of that day and I took opportunity to speak to many this morning that talk about the heat, the weather and then the wind that came which meant that all human efforts on many of the fire grounds made it very difficult to put the fire out and in fact almost impossible but they still tried the best they could. These brave men and women focused on trying to protect life, guard life was the primary purpose as the day turned into night, not only from the smoke but then the hours that pass from the ignition of those fires. Crews worked tirelessly throughout that day in the evening trying to protect their communities as this firestorm swept across the state as it said driven by that howling wind change whether it be the surf coast, the Macedon Ranges or here in the Dandenayans. Tragically 47 Victorians lost their lives in that day including 14 CFA members. These members from Panton Hill, Na Naungun and Nari Warren and Wallace Dale Brigades. A few short weeks earlier two Forestry Commission Victoria firefighters also lost their lives at Greendale. As fire chiefs commissioners and emergency leaders we honour and remember all those who've lost their lives and we thank all those that were involved in the Ash Wednesday and afterwards in the recovery efforts for their efforts. It is a credit and a passion to the commitment of the efforts of all those involved in that day whether you be on the fire ground in the incident control centres behind the scenes in the welfare centres or the relief centres. The incredible acts of bravery and the stories that you've told will never be forgiven and I'm sure your actions prevented there being a far greater death toll by the end of that day. I would now like to ask all of you amongst us who served on the 16th of February 1983 to be upstanding. We know there are many more firefighters from Ash Wednesday who are unable to be here today or in fact have gone before us. We also acknowledge those who have been watching this ceremony online. On behalf of the Victorian fire and emergency services and in fact fire and emergency services across this country I can just simply pause to say thank you. Thank you for your efforts. Thank you for everything you did on that day and service to your local communities that so desperately needed the assistance. May be recognised and never forget the strength and resilience of you all, your fellow colleagues, brigades and members. You may be seated. Let's not be not that the sacrifice of the firefighters but also the community members that went before us at the Ash Wednesday fires and be the genesis for another of changes that have occurred in the emergency services sector and continue to be changes as we've seen the Black Saturday fires of 2009 in fact following on to the Black Summer season of 1920. We've seen many improvements since that day, whether it be safety improvements to the trucks, the technological improvements, the equipment that you use, the PPE that you wear, the radios that you use and the command and control arrangements have all changed and improved for the better since that fateful day. We learn from these tragedies, we learn from these disasters and we seek not only to improve the safety of our firefighters and our communities but also seek to continue to educate our communities to ensure that we have that shared responsibility that everyone comes home safe at the end of the day. We succeed because as I said we learn from our experience and the increased fire threat posed by climate change means that events like Ash Wednesday are likely to become more frequent and even with the potential for more significant fire impacts. This anniversary is time to celebrate the remarkable resilience of our Victorian communities which we continue to recover and rebuild but also remain ever vigilant for that present threat of bushfire. Many firefighters were inspired to join their local brigade and sign up for their local firefighting agency after seeing our sector's firefight and action during the Ash Wednesday fires. We work more collaboratively than ever. Our connection and partnership with communities is strong not only during fire seasons but throughout the year. Sadly as I said we've seen more tragedy since Ash Wednesday but communities should take comfort in knowing that we have some of the best firefighters in the world combined with our emergency service colleagues that strive each and every day to protect lives and property across this state. We will continue to remember and honour our fallen firefighters. We will always strive to be better prepared and to learn from our experiences each and every day. Thank you. Thank you Jason for those words. We'll now have some short readings by representatives of brigades impacted by the fires. I invite the current captain of Nanah Goon Justin Seddon to read the spirit of CFA. Thank you Peter. Hailing from all walks of life you are our mothers, our fathers, our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles. You are our grandparents, our neighbours and our friends. You help protect us without wanting recognition or reward. In our time of need you are there. Your courage and compassion are inspiring, your loyalty unquestionable. You comfort us with tender hand, you stand in the face of nature's beast. You fight for our lives and our land. You are the essence, the true meaning of community. You epitomise the Australian spirit, the spirit of CFA. Thank you Justin. I now invite the captain of Upper Beaconsfield, Ian Penny, to perform a reading until we meet again. Until we meet again. No farewell words were spoken, no time to say goodbye. You were gone before we knew. Every day we miss your smile that no one can replace but it still brings us comfort in the sadness that we face. You're missed so much more than you could ever know. There are memories of you in all the places we go. We think about you always, we talk about you still. The times we shared will never be forgotten. We hold you close within our hearts and there you will always remain. But I know someday, somewhere we will meet again. Thank you Ian. We will now cross to the Memorial Garden where the former Cockatoo Captain Graham Simpson AFSM will speak on behalf of the firefighters who served in 1983 and outline the significance of the memorial posts which commemorate each of the eight major fires that occurred on that day. Thank you Peter. As I stand in the shade of the flowering gum that was planted by Prince Charles, now King Charles III and the late Princess Diana during their Australian tour six weeks after the fires, I welcome you to the Ash Wednesday Memorial Garden. I wanted to be here representing volunteers and veterans of Ash Wednesday. 16th of February 1983 was predicted to have temperatures in the 40s and single digit humidity. Strong hot northerly winds for firefighters it was going to be a very ugly day. We received the call at 7 28 p.m as the new captain of the Cockatoo Fire Brigade and I was just three months into the job it was going to be my baptism by fire. One can tell that any fire that began would be difficult to control but no one could have foreseen what we would have counter. We turned out to a small fire on the left hand side of Bailey Road. Our new 3.4 tanker had been dispatched earlier in the afternoon to help Upper Beaconsfield leaving us with only a 600 litre support vehicle. Upon extinguishing the small fire we could see smoke rising in the Wrights Forest which is over that way. The support needed to fill with water while I investigated in my car. Upon driving into the forest I could see a long line of flames moving uphill slowly in the thick eucalypt forest. I called for more support on our very congested radio. We decided to move to the top of the hill and work around the houses. Bales Brigade tanker and the Nanagoon van then joined us. Our 3.4 tanker was released from Upper Beaconsfield and returned just prior to the wind change. I made the decision that we should all head down the hill and do what we could for the town. The fire raced down the hill behind us and there was sheer bedlam at the intersection behind me. At the time this building was a kindergarten on the 16th of February 1983 it became a refuge where men women children and their pets sheltered from the unprecedented firestorm. While the blaze tore through this community it also did the same for many other small towns. They watched all the buildings around me here and go up in flames when the wind changed that evening. For those of us who were fighting the fires and trying to save lives and homes no one knew if they had survived. Most of the town had been destroyed. Miraculously a number of men hosed down the roof of this building and saved those inside. My family included and to this day we thank them. Cock two lost 307 buildings which also included shops restaurants the old community hall and the RSL. Tragically six lives were lost in this area one being a volunteer firefighter who had come to help but this town was not the only area impacted by the fires on that day. Many others suffered terrible losses. As a lasting memorial to Ash Wednesday the community fought to reserve the kindergarten as the bushfire education center and build this a memorial garden which you see behind me. The Ash Wednesday bushfire education center here in Cockatoo is a heritage listed iconic legacy of that devastating day in February 1983 when fire ravaged much of the state of Victoria. The Ash Wednesday memorial seeks to pay homage to all firefighters and communities across Victoria and represents all eight major fires. Most communities may have their own memorials this one recognizes the eight major fires. The posts represent each of these fires by name. The four digit number on the left at the top of the post is the time the fire was reported. The number on the right is a number of lives lost at that incident. The yellow top represents the volunteers whether firefighters or from other volunteer services and all the other emergency personnel that served during that event. The black mulch represents the ash, the plants represent the life after the fires. So the veterans of Ash Wednesday regardless of the role you played whether you served as a frontline firefighter or the person making sandwiches and courty or back at the fire station or in whatever capacity the impacts of the day remain with us for better or worse. Let me say thank you, thank you, thank you also a big thank you to your families for what they've had to put up with it over the last 40 years. Just ask my life give me a moment. Like Friday the 13th of January 1939 led to the eventual birth of the country fire authority. Ash Wednesday was a wake-up call for the CFA and some may say a smack in the bum. A lot of how we operate today came out of Ash Wednesday bushfires. Well some of these things have taken years and even decades to be developed and introduced they came out of the Ash Wednesday fires. Continued development of appliances, their size, their style, their capability. Personal protective clothing, boots, helmets, gloves, goggles, masks etc. Training, fire management, the AIMS incident control system introduced and further developed. Dissemination of information and warnings although this was limited because of technology in the early days. Fire prevention and preparedness, peer support and wellbeing systems, formation of strike teams and task forces. Interstate support and even international support. Radio and communication systems and further development of air support. Victoria is safer and better able to respond to and recover from. Similar emergencies largely as a result of the learning from tragedies like Ash Wednesday and the resilience of our fantastic communities. On behalf of the veterans I would like to thank the state government and CFA for this commemoration and in particular Sally Pickering and Melissa Moldage and their teams for the many many hours of hard work in the preparation of this event. Thank you. Thank you Graham and well spoken. We'll now hear from current Cockatoo Captain Chris White to read the firefighter's prayer. Wherever flames may rage, grant us the strength to save lives whatever be their age. Help us embrace a little child before it is too late we'll save an older person from the horror of that fate. Enable us to be alert and hear the weakest shout to quickly and efficiently put the fires out. We want to fulfill our calling and be the best we can guarding our every neighbour and protecting their property. And if it be while on the job I should lose my life please bless with your sustaining hand all those I've loved in life. Amen. Thank you Chris. I now introduce Master and Captain Ross Luke to read this heritage. Thanks Peter. They are not dead who leave us this great heritage of remember joy. They still live in our hearts in happiness we knew in the dreams we shared. They still breathe in the lingering fragrance from the windblown flowers. They still smile in the moonlight silver and laugh in the sunlight sparkling gold. They speak in the echoes of the words we've heard them say again and again. They still move in rhythm of the waving glasses in the dance of the tossing branches. They are not dead their memory is warm in our hearts but they are not apart from us but apart of us for love is eternal and for those we love shall be with us throughout all eternity. Thank you. Thank you. We will now formally pay our respects to our fallen firefighters beginning with the procession of the wreaths to the memorial garden. I'd like to invite CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan and the juniors of Beaconsfield Fire Brigade to step forward and lead the procession. We ask those who are nominated to lay a wreath to now join the procession to the memorial garden. The Captain of Nary Warren Brigade, Travis Carter, to perform the honour roll reading. The bell will be told by Simon Wallace, Captain of Panton Hill in memory of the fallen firefighters from that day. Osborne Edward John Lowen, Nana Agoon, Lloyd Donovan, Nary Warren, Neil Rodney Henry, Nary Warren, Murray John Forsyth, Nary Warren, Dorothy Belcomb, Nary Warren, John Richard Manette, Nary Warren, Darrell John Wilkes, Nary Warren, Keith Buzzbridge, Nary Warren, Stuart Robert Duff, Panton Hill, Lewis Jeffrey, Panton Hill, William John Marsden, Panton Hill, Peter John Singleton, Panton Hill, Morris Atkinson, Panton Hill, Peter Ronald Clover, Wallace Dahl, Dez Collins, who represented the fire service commission, Allen Lynch from the fire service commission, Forest Fire Commission, I should so should apologize. Thank you. For your sacrifices, we thank you. I will now ask Graham to assist with the laying of the wreaths. We invite family and brigade to place floral tributes at the conclusion of the formal wreath laying and invite those who would like to do so to make their way to the back of the Memorial Garden now. I will now call on those dignitaries present to lay wreaths at the centre post of this Memorial Garden. Please remain seated during this time. CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, CFA CEO Natalie MacDonald, member for Monbolk, Daniella Di Martino MP representing the Minister for Emergency Services Jacqueline Symes, Voluntary Fire Brigades Victoria President Samantha Collins and CEO Adam Barnett, Forest Fire Management Victoria Chief Officer Chris Hardman and Fire Rescue Victoria Commissioner Ken Block, Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp, AM, APM and Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner David Clayton, APM State Emergency Service Acting Chief Operations Officer Alistair Drayton, AFSM and Ambulance Victoria Chief Executive Officer Jane Miller. Parks Victoria Director Fire Emergency and Enforcement David Nugent, AFSM and Australian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council CEO Rob Webb. Australian Red Cross State Manager Emergency Services Fiona Norton and Cardinia Shire Council Deputy Mayor Councillor Jack Kawasiq. I now ask the nominator representatives from the eight major fires which occurred that day come forward and lay a wreath at the relevant post. We'll start off with Kudgy Bellangee. Wreath will be laid by Owen O'Keefe and Liam Keegan. This fire was reported at 1310 hours causing clashing caused by clashing conductors on private SEC line. Fatalities were nine. The area burnt was 50,000 hectares. Houses lost was 157 other buildings, 715. 11,500 sheep and 7,800 cattle. One million bales of fodder. 7,000 kilometres of fencing. There's some big numbers there. East Trentham, Mount Macedon. Wreath will be laid by Keith Miles and Robert Highland. We also acknowledge that Mount Macedon captain at the time Kerry Murphy, AFSM, PSM, who is watching online. The fire was reported at 1422 hours cause clashing conductors on SEC transmission line on the side of the road. Fatalities seven. Area burnt 29,500 hectares. Houses lost 628. 3,630 sheep and 149 cattle. 10,350 bales of fodder and 50 plus kilometres of fencing. The outways. Wreath will be laid by Ross Gerven and Rod Taylor. It was reported at 1456 hours cause unknown. Fatalities three. The area burnt was 41,000 hectares. Houses lost 729. Other buildings 53. 2,620 sheep and 159 cattle. 25,000 bales of fodder and 1,000 kilometres of fencing. Belgrave Heights and Upper Beaconsfield. The wreath will be laid by former captain Eric Bumstead with Nancy Bora, Stan Hamilton and Herb De Tez. It was reported at 1524 hours cause deliberately lit. Fatalities 21, which included 12 volunteer firefighters. The area burnt was 9,200 hectares. The houses lost 238. 526 sheep and 452 cattle. 650 kilometres of fencing. Montevay. The wreath will be laid by Paul Kenny and Kevin Sparrow. It was reported at 1539 hours cause was private electricity supply line. Fatalities none. Area burnt 3,180 hectares. The houses lost were three. Other buildings numerous. 1469 sheep and 203 cattle. 209 kilometres of fencing. Branks home. The wreath will be laid by Celeste Benoit and Ray Downs. Fire was reported at 1630 hours. The cause was sparks from SEC conductors after a poll had snapped. Fatalities one. A volunteer firefighter. The area burnt 200 hectares. Houses lost one. Other buildings nine. 2,624 sheep and 159 cattle. 900 miles of fighter and 20 kilometres of fencing. Warburton. Wreath will be laid by Barry Marshall, AFSM. Fire was reported at 1920 hours. Cause unknown. But regarded as suspicious. Fatalities none. Area burnt 40,000 hectares. Houses lost 27. Other buildings 30. No sheep or cattle were lost. 300 miles of fighter and 10 kilometres of fencing. We're just going to do a short pause. Cockatoo. The wreath will be laid by former communications officer Tony Dinhartog. He'll be escorted by Captain Chris White and Ian Simons, AFSM. Fire was reported at 1928 hours. The cause deliberate in the Wrights Forest. Fatalities six including one volunteer firefighter. The area burnt 1800 hectares. Houses and other buildings lost 307. No sheep or cattle were lost. Now on behalf of the brigades and groups which lost members as a result of the tragic fire, I call forward the following to lay at wreaths at the centre post. Nary Warren Fire Brigade. Collin Booth, AFSM. Penton Hill Fire Brigade. Khan Frankie. Nana Goon Fire Brigade. Wes Ritchie. Wallace Dale Fire Brigade. Ray Downs. Group officer. Kadinia Group. Andrew Wenzel. Representing Casey Group. David Morgan. Kadinia Group 1983 which was then known as Packetham Group. Ivan Smith AFSM. I'd now like to invite family members, friends and brigades of those we are remembering today who were in the memorial garden to come forward and lay a wreath or floral tribute. There will be an opportunity for others here today to do the same after the conclusion of the service with the memorial garden being opened for reflection at any time. Thank you. Thank you Graham. Thank you to all who have turned out today to remember the events of Ash Wednesday. There are many people to thank who have assisted with this service and we are sincerely grateful to them. We especially thank the veterans of Ash Wednesday Group who played an integral part of developing this service and the Ash Wednesday bushfire education centre and in particular Graham Simpson AFSM for hosting this event. We also acknowledge the local community of Cockatoo which has generously supported the event through the donation of their time. The 14th anniversary date of Ash Wednesday is Thursday the 16th of February and we know the brigades and communities will be marking that date in their own ways. We know that anniversaries can bring up a variety of emotions so if you need support please reach out to our peers or use one of our resources outlined in the booklet or on the CFA website. If you have the time you're encouraged to walk through the education centre to remember and reflect. Shortly you will see an aerial flyover representing some of our modern firefighting aircraft. I'd like to finish with a quote from Albert Pike which has been used at our annual memorial service. What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done for others and the world remains as in as and is immortal. Please be upstanding for the exit of the colour party and thank you again for your time this afternoon. Thank you and be seated and as I said this concludes the event for today. Thank you for your attendance. Thank you.