Fire threating water, gas supplies in Victoria

MELBOURNE’S largest water catchment, the Thomson Reservoir, and the Longford gas plant are both threatened by major bushfires burning out of control today.

And a water expert says a fire that kills just half the trees in the Thomson catchment could cut water yield in the already drought-ravaged dam by 20 per cent for the next half century.

“Thomson Reservoir is a concern because of the long-term impacts for water catchment in Victoria,” Mr Warrington told reporters.

“A fire in the catchment is something of significance in the immediate term and in the longer term if the water harvest is affected by the destruction of the catchment.

“There is a huge effort going on minimising the impact of that fire as we speak.

“And everything is being done to prevent the fire reaching the gas plant at Longford.”

The Australian