In an amazing act of bravery, at least 10 people stopped to extinguish a fire that broke out in the intersection of the Barton Highway near Yass on Tuesday afternoon.
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They used tree branches, bags and shovels - anything they can find - to beat the flames.
The fire burnt a small area of grass and some bushes, but the residents were able to keep the flames at bay until firefighters arrived.
Local water bore driller Lincoln Wilson believed it was the tyre that burst on his truck that caused the fire.
He and his offsider, driving behind from Yass to Murrumbateman, stopped straight away to try and put the fire out.
"I had to do something," he said.
Then, a Woolworths truck stopped and provided its fire extinguisher, which helped the residents when the fire spread to the bushes.
Another reisdent, Kevin Langham, was driving home from Yass when he saw the fire and stopped.
"I saw the other boys trying to put it out and I had a shovel in the back so I started using that," he said.
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Fire and Recue NSW Station 511 Yass and Manton Rural Fire Brigade arrived on scene about 3.40pm and doused the fire with water.
"Remarkable" was the word used by NSW RFS Operational Officer - Southern Tablelands Zone, Lachlan Gilchrist, to describe the residents' actions.
"It was very quick thinking from the public to try and stop the spread of the fire. Everyone is very fire aware at the moment," he said.
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