Vic: Fire crews battle through night ahead of blistering day

AAP General News (Australia)
12-31-2005
Vic: Fire crews battle through night ahead of blistering day

Fire crews in Victoria have fought through the night in a bid to contain an out-of-control
blaze in an open cut coal mine .. in the Latrobe Valley.

Dozens of firefighters have also worked overnight to black out two large scrub fires
in the state's east .. ahead of predicted gusty northerly winds and temperatures over
40 degrees today.

The fire at the Morwell brown coal mine .. 130 kilometres south-east of Melbourne ..

began yesterday afternoon.

It's burning on a coalface about 200 metres long and 100 metres high .. with about
50 Country Fire Authority firefighters and 40 power station workers fighting the blaze.

A total fire ban remains in force in all areas of Victoria but the eastern region ..

covering Gippsland .. until 4 am (AEDT) tomorrow.

AAP RTV jrd/tm/ibw

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC (MELBOURNE)

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