Vic: Bushfire near Portland jumps containment lines
01 Apr 2009 1:28 PM
MELBOURNE, April 1 AAP - A bushfire burning in south-eastern Victoria jumped containment lines overnight and has more than doubled in size.
The fire at the Lower Glenelg National Park, about 20km northeast of Portland, went from a 1,000 hectare blaze to 2,500 hectares after it jumped containment lines on Tuesday night and spread to a forest.
A spokesman for the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) said the fire had spread rapidly after getting access to elevated fuel such as the forest trees.
DSE spokesman John Amor said eight aircraft were water bombing the area but was not threatening people or property.
About 100 firefighters were working to back burn from new containment lines.
"This back burning is generating large amounts of smoke, resulting in concern from as far away as Mt Gambier as the predominately easterly winds carry the smoke to the west," he said.
The cause of the fire remains unknown and is being investigated by Victoria Police.
