Sunday 30 October 1988, at about 2pm, a fire started near the Jelly Bean Pool in Glenbrook National Park. It quickly spread, threatening the ranger station and the ranger`s home in Glenbrook. At the same time, a group of 31 Brownies was trapped in Glenbrook Gorge. A spokesman for the bushfire brigades said “They were really sensible, and should be congratulated for their sense, of staying put instead of running and trying to get away from the fire.” It isn’t possible to exit from the gorge except at either end. However, It’s lucky the girls were in the gorge at the time, where they were close to water and able to wait until they could be escorted out. The fire covered more than 25 hectares of land and was not brought under control until 8pm that night. More than 150 men were involved in fighting the fire. They included teams from the bushfire brigades, NSW fire brigades, and National Parks. The National Safey Council water-bombed inaccessible areas from its helicopter. Train services were delayed by more than five hours. The fire was thought to have been deliberately lit and the police were called in to investigate.
Source: Blue Mountains Gazette, 2 November 1988