In-depth analysis of the driving factors of bushfires in all Victorian communities is needed to ensure the state does not face continuous “Black Saturday” events, researchers say.
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Localised Crime Statistics data revealed a 128 per cent rise in arson within 12 months – which police attributed to a high number of young people burning cars.
There were also at least three suspicious fires which tore through Cuthberts Road, Cardigan earlier this year.
Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute fellows released some findings from a ground-breaking blueprint on Tuesday showing more than 80 per cent of Victoria’s bushfires had some human involvement.
Speaking to The Courier principal researcher Janet Stanley said research suggested at least 40 per cent of fires were deliberately lit, while careless behaviour was also a significant contributing factor.
The Crime Stoppers and MSSI project has focused on determining the amount of suspicious behaviour reported and how authorities can encourage residents to report suspicious behaviour.
Dr Stanley said research showed young, disengaged people – usually male and aged 14-19-years-old – were more likely to light fires.
She said trends showed deliberate fires were usually lit between 3-6pm, approximately four kilometres from the offender’s home, usually in the city’s urban fringe.
“There have been some severe fires in Ballarat. What we're trying to find out, is how can we understand where they're (the arsonists) are located to understand their behaviour a bit more,” Dr Stanley said.
“If we can understand where these people are we can determine where we need to put resources into their locality.”
Data presented from the Climate Institute suggested Victoria could, on average, have a ‘Black Saturday’ level event – with up to 400 fires - every two or three years.
“Recent work has found that the more crime within that community, the less likely residents are to report, the more they are victims of all sorts of crime – they're less likely to report arson,” Dr Stanley said.
She said the reasons behind arson were highly complex.
“We have very few programs to address treatment of arson, often the youth who light fires have problematical backgrounds. We need to put a lot more resources to put them in a more socially desirable pathway,” she said.
Researchers are working with data collection agencies to pinpoint when, where and how fires start.
Olivia Shying
Police and emergency services reporter.
Police and emergency services reporter.
