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Late on Saturday afternoon the Kimberley TAFE green house in Kununurra burnt down as the result of a grass fire that started on Ironwood drive.
While the area was well cleared of grass, plastic irrigation pipes caught fire setting alight the shade cloth and some fibreglass tanks.
Half the green house cover burnt, dripping molten plastic down onto plants and setting fire to the plastic pots.
The greenhouse is central to Kimberley TAFE's horticulture research project, which tests how viable native plants are as commercial crops and domestic plants.
The greenhouse also tests trial business-opportunity projects for indigenous communities.
Certificate II in Conservation and Land Management (ranger program) student Thomas Gilboy said: "This is really disappointing, as a lot of work has gone in here."
Kimberley TAFE Horticulture lecturer Chris Spurr believes more than 40 percent of plants have been lost and the fire is a set back to two years of research.
He said many of the young people working on the project and the community leaders supporting it would be very disappointed.
On the brighter side, Chris is optimistic at being able to turn today's disappointment into motivation to build something bigger, better...and fireproof. |
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