DESPITE a delayed start to the fire season, the Country Fire Authority, CFA, is reminding Victorians to clean up their properties to prepare for the increasing fire risk as warmer weather arrives.
With widespread rainfall affecting most of the state in the past few months, the CFA is not expecting to see extreme fires as in past summers but it is still important that communities do not become complacent.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said firefighters were preparing for this year’s fire season and asked all residents to do their part by preparing their properties and fire plans.
“There are so many simple actions Victorians can take and repeat to keep their property safe from bush or grassfires,” he said.
“Most of them are basic chores such as clearing your gutters, picking up loose leaves and twigs, pruning tree branches so they aren’t overhanging the roof or touching the walls of your property, or even just keeping your lawn under 10cm tall.”
To prepare for the fire season, people can take measures such as moving winter woodpiles away from houses or sheds, testing any fire safety systems such as sprinklers, pumps and generators, checking home and contents insurance cover, and registering burn-offs to remove green waste.
To register a burn-off online, people can visit www.firepermits.vic.gov.au.
The CFA also recommends families sit down and prepare a bushfire survival plan.
“Spend some time in the coming weeks to work out a plan everyone understands to keep your family safe,” Mr Heffernan said.
“Your plan should include things like which fire danger rating will be your trigger to leave, where you will go, and what route you will take – and it should always consider different scenarios and back-up plans.”
As of September 1, the new fire danger rating system changed and is now consistent across all of Australia.
The system reduces the number of fire danger levels from six to four; moderate, high, extreme and catastrophic.
For more information on preparing a bushfire survival plan, visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/before-and-during-a-fire/your-bushfire-plan.
