Jail Break Inn Fire
Encyclopedia
The Jail Break Inn Fire was suspected to be started by a cigarette
butt near the Jail Break Inn 8 km west of Junee, New South Wales
Australia
on New Years Day 2006. The fire was reported around mid afternoon but quickly spread due to temperature
s into the mid to high 40's (°C), low humidity and gusty westerly winds. The fire closed Olympic Highway and the Main Southern Railway line
. Seven houses were destroyed, and the Junee Round House was damaged by the fire. The Monte Cristo Homestead
was threatened by the fire but was saved by a firefighting helicopter water bomber. By nightfall the fire had reached Illabo
and Ulandra Nature Reserve.
of farmland burnt.
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
butt near the Jail Break Inn 8 km west of Junee, New South Wales
Junee, New South Wales
Junee is a medium sized town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The town's prosperity and mixed services economy is based on a combination of agriculture, rail transport, light industry and government services, and in particular correctional services...
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on New Years Day 2006. The fire was reported around mid afternoon but quickly spread due to temperature
Temperature
Temperature is a physical property of matter that quantitatively expresses the common notions of hot and cold. Objects of low temperature are cold, while various degrees of higher temperatures are referred to as warm or hot...
s into the mid to high 40's (°C), low humidity and gusty westerly winds. The fire closed Olympic Highway and the Main Southern Railway line
Main Southern railway line, New South Wales
The Main Southern Railway is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Southern Highlands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and the Riverina regions.- Description of route :...
. Seven houses were destroyed, and the Junee Round House was damaged by the fire. The Monte Cristo Homestead
Monte Cristo Homestead
Monte Christo Homestead is a historic Australian property located in the town of Junee, New South Wales. Constructed by local pioneer Christopher William Crawley in 1885, it is a double-story late-Victorian manor standing on a hill overlooking the town....
was threatened by the fire but was saved by a firefighting helicopter water bomber. By nightfall the fire had reached Illabo
Illabo, New South Wales
Illabo is a locality in the South West Slopes part of the Riverina and situated about 13 kilometres southwest of Bethungra and 16 km northeast of Junee. At the 2006 census, Illabo had a population of 190 people. Illabo Post Office opened on 1 July 1879. A railway station on the Main...
and Ulandra Nature Reserve.
of farmland burnt.
- Stock losses were estimated to be over 20,000. of fencing damaged.
- Ten homes destroyed.
- John Heffernan, second cousin of Liberal senator Bill HeffernanBill HeffernanWilliam Daniel Heffernan, more commonly known as Bill Heffernan, , Australian politician, has been a Liberal Party member of the Senate, representing the state of New South Wales, since September 1996.-Early life:...
, a local farmer received 3rd degree burns to 80% of his body while trying to fight the fire.
External links
- RFS Photos
- Photos of the fire
- MODIS TERRA (2 January 2006)
- New Year bushfires - Junee Shire Council
- Map of the fire's extent - Junee Shire Council