W.A. Bush Fire Museum and Heritage group

Stage one of a new exhibition complex has now been established in Yornup to house the vehicles and equipment belonging to W.A. Bush Fire Museum and Heritage Group.

On the grounds surrounding the museum there has been planted a display of a fire suppressing-garden. The plants and trees around the museum are mostly fire-resistant varieties with the ground cover mulch surrounding the building made up of roughly crushed building waste comprising brick, cement and stone.

Volunteer Bush Fire Fighting Brigades were born out of a culture of a community standing together to fight the fires that can suddenly roar into an inferno, threatening lives and livelihoods of those living within the community.

Purchasing and maintaining firefighting equipment along with firefighting training was all initially done on a fundraising basis within each community.

Fires, which can commence through lighting strikes, harvesting fires or just through a careless act can have devastating consequences, particularly if the fire conditions are catastrophic on that day.

Fires can cause extensive damage to homes, businesses, vehicles, and public infrastructure leaving long-term economic and environmental impacts on property, and cause injuries, fatalities and emotional trauma.

The Museum is also an educational facility giving an insight in to how bush fire control has developed and improved over the years, displaying how the equipment has also improved all from lessons hard won providing insights in how to fight fires safely.

The WA Bush Fire Museum and Heritage Group has six members: Chris Sousa is the Chair person, with members Judy Bland, Ed Bland, Ray Harding, Chris Doherty and Lyndon Pearce.

“The group has signed a lease for twenty-one years on the land alongside the Yornup Hall and has built a large shed which will be the group’s new museum building.” Chris Sousa explains.

“The shed was built from the proceeds of a grant the group received from the Native Forest Transition Grants Program and is the first step in providing a suitable display area for the group’s sixteen vehicles, historical objects, memorabilia and artefacts.

“All the sixteen fire fighting vehicles in the museum have had a significant influence on the development of fire fighting in this state, with improvement in safety for the fire fighters, vehicle development and the clothing worn which all go to help tell the story and development of fighting bush fires.”

A major turning point in vehicle and crew safety came after 2012 following the death of firefighter Wendy Bearfoot who perished in a vehicle burn over during the devastating Black Cat Creek bushfire in that year.

In 2013 a national standardisation for crew safety, with drop down curtains and sprinkler systems was initiated on all trucks.

DPAW district fire co-ordinator Vince Hilder said, “The safety equipment in the fire trucks, as well as staff training around what to do in a burn-over have improved significantly since Mrs Bearfoot’s death.”

Chris continues, “Also, on display is ‘Koala Bill’, a fire fighting mascot used during the 1980s and ‘90s. Koala Bill toured schools informing and educating children in regards to fire prevention.

“Parks and Wildlife are donating to the museum a lookout tower cabin which was atop a fire lookout near Nannup, another wonderful piece of firefighting history which will be on display.

“This new building is the beginning of the plans we have for the museum site. There is a need for us to provide toilets, a parking area, and lean-to buildings along the museum to house the equipment which needs protection from the weather.

“With stage two we are looking to build a further 1,000m2 of shed space to house the trucks and equipment, along with the documents we receive deliveries of each month.”

Chris Sousa has always had an absolute passion for the collection of firefighting memorabilia, he concludes with, “It is anticipated the museum will be an important showcase in displaying the history of fighting bush fires in Western Australia.”