Around 12.00pm Friday 13 March 1998, with TOBAN’s enforced both in the Australian Capital Territory and neighbouring New South Wales, the first Australian Capital Territory Bushfire Service Strike Force responded to Bungendore to assist at the Lake Road Fire. A second Strike force left Canberra around an hour later.
The fire which started around 9.55am on the Lake Road in the vicinity of the “Douglas” property. and burnt out around 900 hectares with one structure lost and another damaged.
Around 50 units from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, New South Wales Fire Brigade, Australian Capital Territory Bushfire Service and Australian Capital Territory Fire Brigade were involved in suppressing the fire.
New South Wales Units came from as far away as Narooma and Marulan. Additionally 3 helicopters, 2 fixed wing aircraft and 2 dozers were also used.
The first Strike Force was lead by Clyde Hunt (Guises Creek 1) and consisted of three Bushfire Tankers from Hall, Rivers and Guises Creek Brigades. The second Strike Force was lead by Graham (Storky) Plumb (Jerrabomberra 1) with two Tanker / Light Unit combinations from Jerrabomberra and Southern Districts Brigades.