A NEW strategy will crack down on illegal fires in the Wimmera during the fire danger period.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Country Fire Authority and Victoria Police have announced a zero tolerance policy in a joint effort to reduce the risk of wildfire in the region.
The strategy warns that people will be prosecuted for illegal fires from the start of the fire danger season. This will apply to the authority’s District 17, which comprises Hindmarsh, West Wimmera, Yarriambiack and Horsham Rural City municipalities.
The authority’s District 17 operations manager Craig Brittain said the strategy reinforced the message that neither the authority not police would tolerate complacency, negligence or arson.
“It is significant for the community to understand that we are at risk, with a high and early onset of fire danger this year,” he said.
Mr Brittain expects fire restrictions to be in place in the next few weeks.
He reiterated that when the authority’s crews determined the cause and origin of a fire to be illegal, the responsible party would be prosecuted by police.
“We are talking about people who do silly things such as welding or using a grinder in dry grass, or cause a fire to start or allow a fire to remain alight,” he said.
“We have been asked before about farmers doing a stubble burn-off. If they commence the burn-off within the conditions of the permit then it is not classed as an illegal fire.
“If the wind happens to pick up and carry the fire on to another paddock then that is accidental and we will take that into account.”
Mr Brittain said the authority repeated its education process every summer and the community should understand what constituted an illegal fire.
“The community, at large, is losing patience during high fire danger days, where the risk to the community is greater by people not taking precautions,” he said.
Victoria Police Acting Inspector Brendan Broadbent anticipates an additional workload for police officers during the fire danger period.
However, he said the collaboration was an opportunity for the police to enhance their fire investigation techniques and strategies.
“We also see it as a chance to raise the community’s standards and expectation of what they want from us when dealing with fires, because they cause much damage and pose a great threat to life,” he said.
Acting Inspector Broadbent said there was a chance to extend the strategy to other agencies in the future.
While you’re with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox twice weekly from the Wimmera Mail-Times. To make sure you’re up-to-date with all the news from across the Wimmera, sign up below.