A wave of relief has swept over Taralga and district after the Curraweela fire was brought under control.
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The blaze was contained at midday Tuesday, Southern Tablelands RFS superintendent, Peter Alley said. The fire, which started on Craigs Road at 11am Thursday, March 16, burnt out 4437 hectares
The outbreak, 20km north of Taralga, destroyed one house, 17 outbuildings including hay and garden sheds, and at least 200 sheep. Total stock losses are still being compiled.
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The house was a secondary home on a property, in which a family was living.
Most RFS crews have left, leaving mop-up and monitoring to the Taralga and surrounding brigades.
"There's a bit of relief with the change of weather but I think a few people are still feeling a bit nervous," resident Noelene Cosgrove said on Wednesday.
"We all feel for the people who have lost property and stock and want to do something for them."
At its peak, 145 firefighters and strike teams were on the ground, complemented by seven aircraft.
Mr Alley said aircraft could not fly due to cloud cover and poor visibility on Monday. But on Tuesday when a chopper flew over the northeast sector, around the Wiarborough nature reserve, it was clear the fire was contained.
Aerial incendiary capsules dropped over this area on on Friday and Sunday "worked perfectly" in directing the fire from a ridge, down towards Wiarborough Creek.
![The Curraweela fire was brought under control on Tuesday after four days. Backburning around Wendy and Tim Husband's property was underway earlier in the week. Picture by Wendy Husband. The Curraweela fire was brought under control on Tuesday after four days. Backburning around Wendy and Tim Husband's property was underway earlier in the week. Picture by Wendy Husband.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/FkT3ZusFw5YrTvZCipmLUF/5b3c969d-aadd-4aae-a2b2-1cb3cc85bef3.jpg/r223_27_1728_1298_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Alley said the fire ground was essentially blacked out but RFS crews would monitor hot spots and flare-ups. Thirteen National Parks and Wildlife Service vehicles, with 25 personnel are consolidating the northwest corner. Several choppers are also water bombing hot spots.
In addition, heavy plant are rehabilitating land where containment lines had been cut, to ensure nil environmental damage
While Taralga itself received a small amount of rain on Tuesday night, it didn't drop over the fire ground. But if more arrives, as expected in coming days, the fire will drop back to patrol status.
Mr Alley thanked fire crews and the many volunteers who helped.
"People tend to concentrate on the losses, and fair enough because it is very confronting," he said.
"But we saved 45 to 47 homes and I thank the firefighters on the ground doing the first 12 to 18 hours. They did an absolutely magnificent job."
Taralga residents too had rallied. Mr Alley said they'd had "plenty of practice" with three major fires in the last five years. These also included Long Gully, around Bannaby, and the Green Wattle Creek blazes.
![Taralga RFS volunteer, Brad Sheridan, was one of many helping the effort. Picture by Amanda Sallybanks. Taralga RFS volunteer, Brad Sheridan, was one of many helping the effort. Picture by Amanda Sallybanks.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/FkT3ZusFw5YrTvZCipmLUF/0dec78de-9e83-4cbf-9f96-0fb7ffda3cce.jpg/r0_0_3024_4032_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Now the focus moves to recovery. Two Local Land Services veterinary teams are on the ground, providing animal welfare advice and helping to euthanise stock.
Recovery agencies are based at the Taralga Showground in Walsh Street if people need assistance.
Mrs Cosgrove said a Reconstruction NSW representative visited on Tuesday. It will host a community meeting on a date to be advised.
Also on Tuesday, Premier Dominic Perrottet and Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman dropped in for the RFS morning briefing.
Mr Perrottet told The Post he had spoken to the emergency services Minister, who was "working through (the matter." He will then take advice from the department.
However the Coalition is in caretaker mode.
"I thought it was important to go out there and thank the volunteers for their work...The volunteerism and the spirit of our people in these natural disasters is phenomenal," he said.
![Premier Dominic Perrottet and Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman visited the Taralga fire shed on Tuesday morning for a briefing on the Curraweela fire. Picture by Noelene Cosgrove. Premier Dominic Perrottet and Goulburn MP Wendy Tuckerman visited the Taralga fire shed on Tuesday morning for a briefing on the Curraweela fire. Picture by Noelene Cosgrove.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/FkT3ZusFw5YrTvZCipmLUF/8efc5745-f682-43f1-8967-ada9f9f2252d.jpg/r0_0_1536_2048_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mrs Cosgrove said it was good of the Premier to visit but it was "unfortunate" he didn't go out to the fire ground to see the damage firsthand.
"That's disappointing because it would have been nice to support the landholders," she said.
Hume MP Angus Taylor said he would also push for a disaster declaration to ensure people received the help they needed.
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Curraweela resident, Wendy Husband said some neighbours were told to leave with just minutes' notice, given the fire's ferocity on Thursday. It was fuelled by 40 to 50km/h winds.
"It was so fast and there was no time for preparation," she said.
"At the time, I had no idea it had started; it was an absolute shock. There are some people very shaken by the experience because they were right there."
Aerial water bombers protected hers and husband Tim's property while the RFS and National Parks did extensive backburning within 200 metres of their home.
The fire's cause remains under investigation.
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