The Country Fire Authority’s emergency alert system used location-based texts to Telstra mobile phones and address-based messages to land lines.

But Telstra Country Wide area general manager Bill Mundy confirmed that weak mobile phone coverage in Dereel would have affected emergency alert messages into the area.

The main tower that delivers coverage into Dereel is at Buninyong and the signal into the area is weak.

Mr Mundy said Telstra was aware of the need to improve mobile phone coverage in the Dereel area.

“We’ve had representations from the local community about improving coverage in the area,” he said.

“We plan to improve coverage in the area in the long term.”

A state control centre spokesperson said three sets of alerts had been issued at 12.33pm, 1.35pm and 3.21pm.

“Both location and address text messages were sent, mainly in Dereel and in Corindhap in selected streets,” she said.

The Courier received reports of mobile phone blackspots in the area and had trouble contacting its reporters and photographers on the ground.

On social media, Dereel resident Kate Simpson-Scott said the lack of information to residents was a “huge concern and absolutely disgusting”.

“There is a huge fire out of control over 70 tankers fighting it,” she said.

“There is extremely limited mobile reception and most don’t have internet.”

Ballarat police Acting Sergeant Chris Taylor said some police members also had difficulty making calls due to mobile phone blackspots.

But he said the police used radios for their communications.

“These issues could be more for the residents receiving warning signals,” he said.

Kylie Ryan, whose family has properties in Dereel and Rokewood Junction, said she had been trying to keep close contact with families fighting at the farm with great difficulty.

“I finally got onto a mate, whose property was threatened, and it dropped out,” she said.

rachel.afflick@fairfaxmedia.com.au