"We know as much as a person in the street would know. It's really disappointing to me as the captain of Kaniva station that we've been kept in the dark. We have no idea what's in the dump, what the chemicals might be. I'm worried about my members, about myself, about the community because of this." The decision not to intervene is intended to protect emergency services personnel from the kind of risk faced at a factory fire in West Footscray, which firefighters say has led to mysterious, long-term health conditions. Burnt-out chemical drums after the fire at the West Footscray factory last year. Credit:Justin McManus A source familiar with the emergency plan said: “We’ve been told [the firefighters] need to let it burn, and that they can attack with an aircraft but not from the ground.”

But emergency services sources say letting the fire burn comes at a risk that it will spread to nearby farms and the neighbouring Little Desert National Park. The chemical stockpile is located in a farming district 15 kilometres south of Kaniva on a bush block owned by Graham Leslie White, who has been linked to the largest illicit toxic waste dumping operation in the state’s history. He also owned a massive chemical waste stash at the West Footscray factory fire that became the worst chemical blaze in three decades. The Kaniva site is suspected to contain millions of litres of highly flammable chemical waste buried in pits and trenches 60 metres above a major regional aquifer. The bush block in western Victoria where more than 50 million litres of chemical waste has been buried. Credit:Joe Armao The West Footscray fire in August 2018 and another in Campbellfield in April 2019 spewed plumes of toxic contamination across Melbourne and has been linked to illnesses in dozens of firefighters.

Bob Bone of Bones Butchery in Kaniva said there had been no official communication to locals about what would happen in the event of a fire or accident on the property. “Nobody really understands what’s going on there,” he said. A CFA spokeswoman confirmed the local brigade would not attend a chemical fire, but said emergency service agencies were prepared and equipped to issue public warnings and advice in the case of any emergency. “In the case of a HAZMAT incident, the requirements and expectations of the CFA Kaniva Brigade are the same as any CFA Brigade – that only HAZMAT qualified and equipped members can respond to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our members,” she said. Kaniva Butcher Bob Bone. Credit:Joe Armao “In the case of a grass or scrub fire (not involving the chemicals) ... EPA onsite staff will be able to grant local CFA members access to respond, subject to a risk assessment. CFA is well prepared and resourced to deal with any fire or potential incident within the region.”

The CFA and EPA have refused to publicly release the emergency plan or the risk assessment modelling that has informed it. The EPA has repeatedly stressed that there is no sign of leaks from the 20 identified chemical stockpiles at the site and a risk of fire at the remote scrubland property is low and being managed. “As the lead agency we are responsible for identifying the risks present and advising the emergency services,” said Dr Scott Pigdon, the EPA’s north-west regional manager. “EPA has shared all knowledge with the local emergency services and relevant authorities.” Graham Leslie White, who has been linked to chemical waste dumps in Melbourne and Kaniva. Credit:Darrien Traynor The EPA acknowledges that the risk of fire or leaks has increased since the agency began “preliminary on-site excavations” at three of the 20 suspected pits and trenches where chemical drums, gas cylinders and other contaminated materials have been buried. During the excavations, the EPA’s “spot fire fighting equipment” is limited to extinguishers and fire blankets.