Defence force started 'mega-fire'

Every hour where bushfires in the NSW Blue Mountains don't flare will be a bonus for firefighters.

A DEFENCE explosives used in an army training exercise last week caused the monstrous Lithgow bushfire that destroyed a large number of homes, the Rural Fire Service said last night.

The revelations could potentially expose Defence, and taxpayers, to compensation payouts to the Blue Mountains property owners of at least three homes destroyed in the 33,000ha blaze.

Premier Barry O'Farrell last night said: "I haven't seen any detailed report on the issue but it's an issue I certainly intend to raise with the PM."

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Dozens of fire trucks and SES vehicles travel down the M4 motorway towards the bushfires in the Blue Mountains. Video courtesy of news.com.au reader.

An RFS spokeswoman confirmed a joint investigation with Defence had found the State Mine fire started on the Defence range after explosive devices on the range triggered the blaze.

But the RFS stressed that there was no fire ban last Wednesday afternoon so Defence did not breach any ban by holding the training exercise at its Marrangaroo Army Range.

"Investigations have determined the State Mine fire near Lithgow was started as a result of live ordnance exercises on Marangaroo Army Range," a spokeswoman said. "There was no total fire ban in place."

Fires at Springwood in the Blue Mountains. Aircrane brings some relief. Source: News Limited

The Defence Department was refusing to confirm the finding, saying the investigation was continuing.

Attorney General George Brandis said last night the government and the ADF are taking this matter very seriously and would cooperate with the NSW authorities, including the police.

A Defence spokeswoman last night said she could not confirm that Defence had caused the fire.

"The investigation is ongoing," she said.

Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill was "not happy at all" about the source of the fire which has destroyed three homes.

"I would have hoped on a day like that which was a dry day, a hot day, with the winds - the Australian military would have known it wasn't a good time to be igniting,. The fire has caused great concern to my community," he said.

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