RESIDENTS fear towns and suburbs in forest areas around Ballarat would be indefensible in a bushfire emergency. The CFA has confirmed that in several areas, including Blackwood, Nerrina and Mt Helen, there would be few options for resident but to leave on Code Red days. And as communities gear themselves up for the upcoming fire season in Fire Action Week, the CFA has warned it would not have enough resources to save these towns under extreme fire circumstances. CFA District 15 operations officer Archie Conroy said it would be difficult to defend a town like Blackwood which is situated in the middle of the Lerderderg State Park and the Wombat State Forest. “The town is interspersed between natural bushland which comes right up to the houses,” Mr Conroy said.“There’s no clear area around it.”But Mr Conroy said towns like Mt Helen and Nerrina were even worse off due to their higher population. “(It is important) ... to have your own bush-fire survival plan,” he said.“We can’t be there, we can’t guarantee to be there. And the best thing for us is not to have people there on the high fire days.”The CFA, he said, would not be able to cope with the extra demand in case of a day like Black Saturday. “Not on a bad day (we don’t have enough resources),” Mr Conroy said.“We can’t guarantee there will be 20 trucks to jump on the fire on a Code Red Day.“One fire is right, two fires is hard but three fires...well that just stretches (us).“And even if we lined up the trucks from one end to the other it wouldn’t stop the fire that’s going to be 10 kilometres wide.”Barrys Reef resident Pat Liffman, who has been a ratepayer for 58 years, said she was planning to leave her 1860s miner’s cottage on Code Red days.Located four kilometres north of Blackwood, the former Moorabool Shire Citizen of the Year, said people should be prepared to abandon the town on high fire risk days.“We have only got one way in and one way out,” Ms Liffman said.“People in Barrys Reef, Blackwood, Dales Creek and Greendale should evacuate on Code Red day.”Blackwood Merchant, food produce store and cafe, co-owner Donna Shannon said Black Saturday had shaken people up in the town.“I remember coming to this town (five years ago) and people would say they will stay and look after their properties but those same people have changed their mind,” Ms Shannon said. “Now people would leave.” The CFA will hold a bushfire safety session on Sunday at 1pm at the Blackwood Fire Station, Terrill Street, Blackwood. For more information or to register attendance go to www.cfa.vic.gov.au/firesafety or call 1800 799 203.Follow @NeelimaChoahan