FIRE danger ratings in Victoria have changed, bringing them in line with the Australian Fire Danger Rating System now current across every state and territory in the country.
Fire danger ratings provide information on the likelihood of a fire so people can take action to protect themselves and others.
The higher the rating, the more dangerous fire conditions are and the more difficult fires are to stop if they begin.
The new system came after one of Australia’s largest community surveys found a majority of Australians did not understand the previous fire danger rating system.
Victorian emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp said the new fire danger ratings system was based on community feedback.
The new system includes four colour-coded levels and plain language that provides clear advice on what action communities need to take at each level.
Mr Crisp said the new system was based on modern technology and research that improved emergency services’ ability to accurately predict fire behaviour and potential community threats. He said the previous system was more than 60 years old.
“The new fire danger rating system means that no matter where you live in Victoria or Australia, the same system will be in place. This is particularly important for our border communities and travellers,” he said.
Under the new system, emergency services can provide more specific advice to local communities so they can make more informed decisions about their own safety.
As part of the changeover to the new system, all fire danger rating signs across Victoria will be covered by a sticker promoting the new four-rating system while emergency services roll out replacement signs, which will be installed from this month.
Country Fire Authority, CFA, chief officer Jason Heffernan said the objective was for Victorians to better understand what actions to take at each fire danger level.
“That’s why this new system will be reduced to just four simple ratings and use clear recommendations for how to protect yourself according to your bushfire risk,” he said.
“The new system will measure local fire danger using improved science and a wider range of fire behaviour models to better represent the variety of Australian vegetation.”
People can access up-to-date fire danger ratings and other emergency information on the VicEmergency website emergency.vic.gov.au and the VicEmergency app.
