By Jed Lanyon
Preparations for the upcoming bushfire season are stepping up as part of the recent Fire Action Week.
Fire and rescue agencies have started their preparations under a Covid-safe plan this year to ensure burns and fuel reduction activity can be conducted safely, and all Victorians are being asked to do the same.
Fire Action Week, which ran until 25 October, is a time for households to increase their understanding of local fire risks, prepare their properties and plan how to stay safe.
Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV) are undertaking fuel management works to reduce the risk of bushfire for communities and the environment.
FFMV has recruited additional seasonal firefighters in the Port Phillip region, with more than 70 fixed-term and 320 incident management team members and permanent firefighters to be in place across the region from mid-November.
FFMV said this preparation builds on their work throughout the year, including planned burning, slashing and mulching to reduce the speed and intensity of potential bushfires in the region.
According to FFMV, planned burning in the Port Phillip region has covered 2755 hectares since last winter with crews taking every opportunity to conduct burns when conditions allow and it is safe to do so.
This has included planned burning to reduce bushfire risk in the Upper Yarra Valley, east of Warburton, several burns around Reefton and McMahon’s Creek townships.
This includes high priority burns conducted on Mt Dandenong near the townships of Olinda and Kalorama, and in the Silvan Reservoir to help protect critical water treatment infrastructure.
In the same period, mechanical works covered nearly 1000 hectares, with crews using heavy machinery to mulch flammable vegetation to reduce fuel.
FFMV Deputy Chief Fire Officer of Port Phillip, Shannon Devenish, said the works had taken place while adhering to public health and hygiene guidelines across the state.
“We have established procedures to help us conduct bushfire suppression during the coming season, while delivering on our health and safety obligations. These procedures have been put in place for the safety of our staff and the public.
“These procedures include accommodation of firefighters, incident control centres, aviation, first attack and firefighter training. Our focus remains on being able to do our work safely this summer while continuing to help protect Victorians from bushfire.”
