The Country Fire Authority is frustrated, after being called out to a spate of out-of-control burn-offs over the weekend.
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CFA throughout the district responded to 14 burn-offs that had flared up out of control.
Fires take volunteers away from their families, can damage property, and risk sparking bigger fires on public land, District 2 Operations Manager Bill Johnstone said.
Read more: Burn off window narrows as fire season looms
Operations Manager Johnstone said that most of the fires had either been left unattended, or were lit by people being overambitious about the size of fire they could manage.
It is “frustrating” for the organisation that their safety messages are not getting through, he said.
“The common theme is lack of due care and attention,” Operations Manager Johnstone said.
“People do not accept personal responsibility for their action, as a consequence more fires escape.
“Where people do the wrong thing, they’ll be asked to account for their actions.”
The fires took place across the whole of District 2, including in the Macedon Ranges, around Bendigo and to the north where conditions are dry.
The weekend may have been a “harbinger” of conditions in the coming months, Operations Manager Johnstone said.
“We’re experiencing dryer than normal weather conditions, so we are in a rainfall deficit. This is leading to the potential for a prolonged summer fire season,” he said.
“Already in parts of the state that aren’t normally under fire conditions are.”
Operations Manager Johnstone said the fires had been a significant draw on the CFA’s resources over the weekend, taking volunteers away from their families and leisure time.
“It requires our volunteers especially have to stop what they’re doing to go an attend to someone else’s problem,” he said.
Operations Manager Johnstone advised anyone considering a burn-off to register it with the CFA.
He encouraged residents to take advantage of the window of opportunity to clean up their properties before the fire season begins, but check conditions and comply with local by-laws.
“We encourage residents to take advantage of the window of opportunity to clean up their properties before the bushfire season, but the effects of an out-of-control fire can be devastating,” Operations Manager Johnstone said.
“It is absolutely essential that you have enough water on hand to put out a fire.
“You should construct a fire break, free of flammable, materials around any burn-off.”
CFA burn off safety advice
- Check fire restrictions with your local council and register your burn on 1800 668 511
- Check and monitor weather conditions – particularly wind
- To avoid unnecessary calls to emergency services, notify your neighbours beforehand
- Leave a three metre fire break, free from flammable materials around the burn
- Have sufficient equipment and water to stop the fire spreading
- Never leave a burn-off unattended – stay for its entire duration
- If your burn-off gets out of control, call ‘000’ immediately
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