Fire restrictions announced for parts of District 6

The Fire Danger Period will begin at 01.00am on Monday, 14 December 2020 for the following municipalities in CFA’s South West Region:

  • Corangamite Shire
  • Colac-Otway Shire

Fire restrictions announced for parts of District 6

The latest Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Victoria, released on 26 November, identified due to significant grass growth, 2020/21 has the potential to be more of a grassfire-dominated season.

It indicates that Victoria is likely to experience a less severe bushfire season this summer compared to last summer – particularly in the east of the state.

The outlook is due to average to above average rainfall during spring, combined with an outlook of above average rainfall for much of Victoria from December to February, particularly across the northern parts and mountain regions, due to the influence of La Niña.

Considering the outlook and current conditions, the fire season has the potential to be a grassfire-dominated season, with shorter-duration fires in grass and dry forests during hotter and windier days.

Potential for above-normal grassfire activity has been flagged for north-east border areas in December, due to the heavy grass and crop fuels prior to harvest.

Some Victorian forests may remain damp enough to experience average to below-average fire activity.

CFA reminds Victorians not to be complacent as an average fire season in this state can still be a bad one.

CFA District 6 Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Craig Brittain said the available fuel loads across the District are drying rapidly, meaning the risk of fires in the landscape are of a real concern.

“Reducing fuel loads will ensure if a fire does break out, it has less chance of taking hold or spreading,” said ACFO Brittain. “However, we as a community, should be ensuring that fires do not occur in the first place.”

“While CFA and our partner agencies Fire Rescue Victoria and Forest Fire Management Victoria are doing everything we can to prepare for the bushfire season, we look to the community to use common sense and take responsibility for preventing fires.”

ACFO Brittain said there was still a short window of opportunity to clean up your property if you haven’t already done so.

“People need to be aware that if using fire to clean up around their properties they need to register these through the Fire Permits Victoria website or by calling 1800 668 511. So far this year, out-of-control burn-offs and unregistered burn-offs have already caused unnecessary callouts to brigades,” he said.

“You should not burn-off when winds are high or high winds are forecast – not only on the day of your burn but for the days afterwards.

/CFA News Release. View in full here.