Fire Action Week is Victoria’s annual fire awareness and planning week, which launched following the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Captain of Ballarat Fire Brigade Mark Cartledge said while the weather was still relatively cool, it was the ideal time to prepare for fire season.
“On those larger properties it allows you to do some burning off when the conditions are right,” he said. “It’s also easier to do the (physical) work on cooler days rather than try to do it in 30 or 40 degree heat.”
Captain Cartledge said for properties near the bush, residents should tidy up fine fuels that could burn quickly, such as bark, twigs and leaves, as well as keep the grass cut before it dries out.
“With the current conditions, as soon as we start getting some warm, windy days, the fields will dry out very rapidly and we will start seeing fires around properties,” he said.
He also said it was a good time to create or discuss a bushfire survival plan.
“Sit down as a family or a household and think about what you’re going to do on a bad fire day, at what point you’re going to leave and make sure you have a kit ready (of things to take) such as documentation, contact numbers and medication.
“But also think about your pets as well, whether you’re living on a farm and have horses, right down to what you’re going to do with your dogs. A lot of people forget about their pets.”
According to the CFA, forecasts for Victoria are showing potential for another above average fire season.
With the current conditions, as soon as we start getting some warm, windy days, the fields will dry out very rapidly and we will start seeing fires around properties.
- Mark Cartledge, Captain of Ballarat Fire Brigade
Captain Cartledge emphasised the importance of staying informed and not relying on one source of information.
“You have the internet, radio, television and there is a new emergency app coming out in a few weeks,” he said.
Fire Action Week runs from Monday, October 24 to Sunday, October 30.