General News
15 January, 2026
New Grass Flat blaze rating five time greater than originally thought
"We improvised, adapted, and overcame," mayor Brian Klowss said. When the Grass Flat Fire was described as catastrophic, everyone was on high alert. The Wimmera Mail-Times can now confirm that the fire at Natimuk and the surrounding district exceeded the Fire Danger Index rating by almost five times.
Authorities originally rated the January 9 blaze at 103, which placed it in the catastrophic category; however, after analysing the data, authorities updated it to 481 FDI.
By comparison, the 2009 Black Saturday Fires were rated at 240 FDI.
Horsham Rural City mayor Brian Klowss said this information is testament to the volunteers who did all they could in an impossible situation.
Cr Klowss said he was bewildered why everything they threw at it had no effect, but this data had helped him understand.
"It has helped me understand that when we tried everything we had learned through years of experience but couldn't get near it, this was why, and I hope this helps everyone who was there understand too,” he said.
He also hoped it helped the broader community understand the phenomenal effort everyone had put in.
"This was a firestorm like no other we have seen and makes the results even more remarkable," the mayor said.
While there were significant losses, Cr Klowss said lives were always a priority, and that there were no lives lost was remarkable in itself, especially as he now knew what they were dealing with.
"There were at least 200 private appliances there, plus heavy equipment and other machinery, and this was all at the cost of those community members who just did what they knew and turned up," he said.
"Conditions made communication difficult, and so everyone just improvised, adapted, and we overcame the beast."
The mayor praised CFA volunteers, people on personal fire units, and farmers who ploughed fields to create fire breaks; everyone did what they did best and saved lives in unimaginable conditions.
"I am so proud of this community; they pulled together on the fireground and have kept it going since then with ongoing support for everyone impacted," he said.
Seasoned firefighters said repeatedly since the fire that they had never seen anything like it and couldn't get near it or ahead of it, and they were right.
The January 9 blaze had all the makings of a catastrophic event, with winds of more than 90km/h, temperatures in the 40s, and new fuel growth after late rains.
"The community pulled together, and it's a credit to everybody," Cr Klowss said.
"I am just so proud."
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