24/09/2026
๐ฅ 20 YEARS AGO TODAY - THE SCHEYVILLE FIRE ๐ฅ
On 24 September 2006, the day began as a quiet, but warm and breezy spring morning. By lunchtime, the winds had strengthened considerably, placing many brigades on alert.
๏ฟผAt the time, many Oakville brigade members were away in Barooga, near Albury, competing at the State Championships. This left only a small contingent of Oakville firefighters at home.
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At around 1pm, a grass fire broke out in Scheyville National Park, near Dormitory Hill Road. Fanned by the strong winds, it quickly ran through long grass towards Midson Road, threatening homes.
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One of the first appliances to arrive was Rouse Hill 2, driven by now Oakville Deputy Simon Benstead. The crew were on return to station after attending a tree-down call nearby when they noticed the smoke.
The crew arrived on scene and immediately passed an urgent red message. Simon recalled entering a paddock to tackle the fire in long grass, before having to retreat as the fireโs speed and intensity became too much, forcing them to retreat to safety.
Strong winds and thick smoke made conditions extremely difficult for firefighters. Firefighters struggled to even see as the smoke engulfed the area.
Deputy Captain Steve Bruce, remembers walking out of the smoke towards Old Pitt Town Road, struggling with the smoke and ash being pushed through the area by the strong winds:
๐ธ Steve is pictured below in front of Rouse Hill 7 after coming out of the smoke.
As winds increased, embers were blown from the main fire and across Midson Road into the grass paddocks of properties, some up to 500m away from the main fire.
The fire moved quickly and there was little time to evacuate. Elderly residents and children sought shelter, while many residents were forced to defend their homes as spot fires began flaring up, placing homes, sheds and livestock under threat.
The strong winds and fire knocked out power to the area, leaving residents without electricity as they to use buckets of water and wet hessian bags to extinguish fires around their homes.
The ember attack was severe. On Dormitory Hill Road, firefighters noticed a house with smoke issuing from it, which had started in one of the rooms from ember attack. The house was damaged but saved.
On Midson Road, another home caught alight, with embers starting a fire in the roof. Despite the efforts of firefighters, the house was destroyed.
Hundreds of firefighters from the Hawkesbury and Baulkham Hills Districts were in attendance, as well as NSW National Parks tankers and appliances from the NSWFB.
A wind change in the late evening gave reprieve, and allowed firefighters to gain the upper hand. Once the Scheyville fire had been brought under control, crews from Baulkham Hills were sent to a separate fire at South Maroota.
The Scheyville fire burnt 181 hectares. Oakville firefighters stayed on scene late into the night continuing to extinguish hotspots. Crews continued to patrol the area until the 4th of October.
NSW RFS - Hawkesbury District
Rouse Hill Rural Fire Brigade
NSW RFS - Box Hill Nelson Brigade
