THE first fire restrictions for 2018 are now in force in selected parts of the Wimmera and Southern Mallee regions.
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Restrictions were placed on Hindmarsh North, Yarriambiack Central, Yarriambiack North, Buloke North and Buloke South as of October 15.
Country Fire Authority District 17 oversees Hindmarsh North and Yarriambiack Central, while District 18 CFA oversees Yarriambiack North, Buloke North and Buloke South.
District 17 operations manager Craig Brittain said restrictions had come into place earlier this season.
“We’ve come in about three or four weeks earlier than normal for some of these areas, and that’s just based on the lack of rainfall and the weather we’ve received so far,” he said.
“There is now restrictions on everything we do now. Pretty much it comes down to the fact that you can’t light a fire or keep a fire alight unless you have a permit first and meet certain requirements.”
Mr Brittain said police were cracking down on illegal fires this season.
“With the Zero Tolerance Strategy this year, which is a Victoria Police and CFA collaborative approach based on community feedback, we will be focusing on prosecuting people who are complacent, negligent or who deliberately light fires,” he said.
“The CFA attends and investigate fires to determine whether they are illegal, while Victoria Police prosecute people if the fire was illegal.”
During the Fire Danger Period fires cannot be lit in the open air without a written permit from CFA or a Municipal Fire Prevention Officer.
Danger periods are also based on local conditions and take into account fuel moisture, fuel loads, grassland curing, weather and rainfall.
Mr Brittain encouraged people to contact the CFA if they were unsure about specifics of restrictions
“If you are in any doubt at all check. You can get in contact with CFA or your municipality or jump online. If they’re going to do a burn-off, for instance, they need to first of all apply for a permit and comply with the restrictions of the permit,” he said.
“That way the brigades know exactly what a fire is. Everything we’re trying to do is minismise the risk of bushfire to our communities, and to also minimise the time that our volunteers have to leave their jobs and families to respond to these fire.”
District 18 operations manager John Breaks said areas in the Southern Mallee region were particularity dry this year.
“Low winter rainfall across the north west means the grass and bush are dry and the fire potential is further increased by Bureau of Meteorology forecasts that the next three months will be drier and warmer than average,” he said.
He said reducing fuel loads would ensure fires that do break out have less chance of spreading.
“CFA and its partner agencies Parks Victoria, Forest Fire Management, DELWP and Emergency Management Victoria are doing everything we can to prepare for the bushfire season,” he said.
“We look to the community to do the same, partner with us and take responsibility for reducing fuel loads around their properties such as dry grass, leaf litter, scrubs and other flammable material. This is the best way to help protect themselves and their properties.”
Forest Fire Management Victoria Wimmera District manager Glenn Rudolph said fire preparations were ongoing.
“We will have a training camp next week for firefighters who will be coming to the region for the first time,” he said.
“Our waterbombing fire aircraft will be paced at Nhill from the end of October, along with fire towers at Stawell, Reeds Lookout, Mt Arapies and Mt Bepcha. They will be manned on days with a high fire danger warning.”
Restrictions will be in force for the remainder of the Hindmarsh and West Wimmera North areas from Monday, October 22.
All burn-offs should be registered with the VicFire Burn-off notification line on 1800 668 511.
