A bushfire at Berringa, 40km south of Ballarat, was contained on Thursday, October 12, after the Country Fire Authority said it had burnt about 40 hectares of grassland, scrub and forest.
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The fire was first reported at 4.42pm Wednesday, October 11, in what was believed to have been an out-of-control burn-off in Donald McCleans Road, which runs between Springdallah and Staffordshire Reef.
A CFA spokesperson said strike teams were called in to assist, due to the spread of the fire.
![The fire burned 40ha close to the border of the Berringa State Forest. This image was taken late Wednesday afternoon. Photo by Deon Mackay / Severe Weather Australia. The fire burned 40ha close to the border of the Berringa State Forest. This image was taken late Wednesday afternoon. Photo by Deon Mackay / Severe Weather Australia.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/6977c988-a715-4c30-a53d-9ed5c6b6fef4.JPG/r0_0_1513_683_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Staff from Forest Fire Management Victoria were also brought in with dozers to establish a containment line," he said.
An advice message was issued shortly before 5.30pm on October 11, for residents in Berringa and Cape Clear, which later escalated to a Watch and Act.
At that time the fire was heading south towards Derwent Jacks Road.
![The Berringa bushfire at 10.50pm Wednesday from 5km away. Picture by Deon Mackay / Severe Weather Australia. The Berringa bushfire at 10.50pm Wednesday from 5km away. Picture by Deon Mackay / Severe Weather Australia.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/177877894/267bb9f1-7e03-4410-b4e7-cd90ac525ccd.JPG/r43_0_884_474_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The northerly winds were at their worst at 11.30pm on Wednesday evening, when they reached 54kmh.
At one point, at least 33 fire units had been sent to the scene - and by 4am that figure stood at 17.
Witnesses said at least two aircraft had been seen flying over the fire.
Firefighters sent to the area said no water bombing could take place at night as it had not been approved, despite extensive trials in the Ballarat area in 2018.
Firefighters were brought in from across the region, including Waubra and Ballan. There were multiple police on scene.
A CFA spokesperson said the agency was working with Forest Fire Management Victoria as the blaze was close to the edge of the Berringa State Forest.
![Berringa fire burns 40ha of grassland, scrub, forest Berringa fire burns 40ha of grassland, scrub, forest](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/152554786/37d4c70f-e11d-4f6c-99a9-f06aaecc83e6.jpg/r0_0_1082_743_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A wind change swept through Ballarat at 5.30am on Thursday, turning north-winds to the south-west and reducing gusts from to 20-to-25kmh.
Strike teams were sent home from Berringa at 6.25am Thursday as exhausted night-time crews swapped over.
A CFA spokesman said local crews were to remain on the fireground at Berringa on Thursday patrolling and blacking out.
He said weather conditions were favourable with rain and low wind speeds expected throughout the day.
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