Campfires cause concern across the state

Emergency services commissioner Craig Lapsley addressed a media conference on Monday to update the state on the continued dangerous fire conditions.

He said the number of campfires left in a dangerous state was concerning.

“Parks Victoria detected more than one hundred campfires left by campers, DELWP found them and secured them,” Mr Lapsley said.

“It’s certainly a major concern. People are out enjoying Victoria, using a campfire, and then leaving the campfire which could cause a major bushfire.

“People have a responsibility – camping in Victoria is about understanding your environment. To leave a campfire not extinguished is a threat.”

The fires were still emanating heat, meaning they were not properly extinguished. Mr Lapsley said campers needed to douse the fires with water, and not just bury them, to ensure they pose little risk of reigniting.

Much of the state, including the north central region, experienced a day of severe fire danger on Monday.

The CFA extinguished 36 fires throughout the day, none of which threatened communities. A wind change in the afternoon created the potential for dangerous fire, but much of the state avoided disaster.

Mr Lapsley used the weekend’s grass fire in Heathcote as an example of how quickly fire can spread, causing the loss of property and potential loss of life.

The fire was caused by a spark from a lawnmower and burnt 12 hectares, including a house, multiple sheds and eight cars.

The hot and dry conditions are expected to continue in Victoria for the remainder of the week before tropical moisture in Western Australia makes its way to the country’s south east.

The Bureau of Meteorology also provided an update on the long-term outlook for Victoria.

Forecaster Kevin Parkin said the state could expect a drier autumn than normal.

“The latest seasonal outlook is for a drying trend,” he said.

“There are no significant climate drivers, as we head into March and even April, suggesting drier and warmer than normal conditions.

“In terms of fire danger, it’s still going to be there.”