Northern Grampians Shire Council environment and community safety manager Warren Groves said a key learning component from the event was the need to get information to the public in a timely and accurate manner – something he believes the council has improved since.

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“Smart phones weren't quite as smart then as they are now – it wasn't quite as easy to get information,” he said.

“What we do now in extreme weather, for example, is to get messages out through our website, Twitter and Facebook a day or so before, to let people know it’s going to be really hot and provide them the relevant information from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Country Fire Authority and other agencies.

“Our aim is to make it really easy for the community to get access to the correct information.

“We're trying to do that better and better. We’re not telling the community what to do, but giving them all the information they need to make their own call for their own circumstances.

“We get warnings a lot earlier now and as soon as we get them, we get them out there.

“I think that's one of our key roles.

“You provide the information and you work with the community to make them as resilient as possible.”