FIREFIGHTERS have gone to extraordinary lengths to contain a peat fire near Strathdownie.
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Country Fire Authority public information unit leader Brendan Gordon said the fire south-west of Casterton in the Strathdownie area was started by a lightning strike on November 7.
The fire covers 12 hectares of a 400-hectare peat swamp to a depth of about five metres.
Mr Gordon said a moat had been built around the fire and the area was flooded with water.
One bore was in place and another was being drilled, sprinklers are going around three-quarters of the fire, and a compressed air unit is on site, along with firefighting and earthmoving vehicles.
Aircraft water bombers worked on the south and east side of the peat fire on Tuesday in preparation for Wednesday's total fire ban.
"This fire will take a long time – it's not a fire that can be put out overnight," Mr Gordon said.
He said it was fortunate the lightning struck a relatively shallow part of the swamp.
"The other side is a lot deeper. We've been able to excavate the moat to five metres and hit clay so we're confident the fire can't burn underneath the moat.”
A community meeting was held in the Strathdownie hall on Wednesday night to inform residents about the fire, which is classed as under control with no threat to communities. However, smoke is causing a hazard to motorists in the area.
Firefighters were kept busy around the region on Wednesday, attending numerous blazes fanned by the strong north wind.
The CFA doused a fire near Illowa at 1.45pm believed to have been started by a solar-powered electric fence, according to Detective Sergeant Chris Asenjo.
He stressed the fire was “not related to any fires historically in the Koroit area in any way, shape or form”.
He said fires near Yambuk and Garvoc on Wednesday morning were also not suspicious.
The CFA also attended fires near Terang, Broadwater, Cudgee and Woodford.