Crews were called to a car accident on New Year’s Eve and haven’t stopped since then. 

A home burned down in Wattle Hill during the early hours of Friday morning, before another property came under threat after a rubbish pile caught alight. 

Leeton Fire and Rescue Captain Graham Parks said while summer was always a busy period, crews were always prepared and ready to go. 

“Even if there some of our firefighters away, we make sure we can cover them and we make sure there’s enough here if we need to send a truck out-of-town,” he said. 

“There’s a few things we do going into summer to get ready.

“A few extra fire drills and that kind of thing. Everyone is trained. What’s even more helpful this year is we’ve got our new truck online. 

“It’s got more equipment in there.” 

The drought has made for perfect fire conditions in the area this year, with residents warned to be careful in particular areas. 

Captain Parks said one of the main areas where residents needed to be mindful was the forestry surrounding the Murrumbidgee River. 

“Some of these areas may only have one or two tracks in and out and this is where you can have a lot of people congregating at any one time,” he said. 

“It’s really important to exercise caution out there.

“Any areas where there is overgrown grass, people should be mindful and careful with their actions.” 

This year also marks 10 years since the deadly Black Saturday fires in Victoria where 173 people perished. 

Captain Parks, along with a crew from Leeton, was sent to help during that time. “I remember it being really dry … it was a very similar year to this year in terms of the conditions,” he said. 

“There was probably more growth around, but it’s still another dangerous year this year.”