Fire danger is not over

Joint Media Release from the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), CFA and MFB

Saturday, 28th February 2009

Victorians will face another severe fire threat next week with extreme weather conditions predicted for Monday night and Tuesday, compounded further by the ever increasing dryness of the landscape across the state.

Victoria’s Emergency Services Commissioner and the state’s fire chiefs are warning all Victorians that Victoria is facing another extreme fire period starting Monday night with the predicted onset of increasing temperatures and strong gusty winds, which will continue on Tuesday, and high winds as part of a weather change continuing into Wednesday.

They all warned that we cannot become complacent with the cooler conditions of the weekend and the fact that some fires in the state are contained.

In alerting Victorians of next week’s severe threat, Bruce Esplin, Victoria’s Emergency Services Commissioner, commended the public for its response to last Friday’s fire threat and the controlled manner in which the public approached and behaved during the day.

“Our communities are, and need to continue to play their critical part in this battle by heeding the messages from the emergency services and responding appropriately in a planned and controlled manner.”

He also praised the thousands of firefighters who had worked tirelessly to contain the existing large fires that posed a grave threat to townships and property across the state leading up to Friday’s severe fire conditions.

Mr Esplin said: “Our firefighters on the ground and in the air, and the hundreds of support and specialist firefighters from interstate and overseas, have done a magnificent job in keeping the large on-going fires contained and preventing more than 130 new fires that started on Friday from threatening life and property.”

Firefighters, with the aid of the cooler weekend weather, will continue to work on the large complex fires to reduce further risk of flare ups and breakouts.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment’s Chief Fire Officer, Ewan Waller, said wind speeds across the state would average between 60 – 80 kph with estimates of wind gust peaks of up to 140kph in some locations on Tuesday.

“Tuesday’s severe weather day will significantly increase risks for firefighters. The threat of falling trees and limbs will increase in these conditions.

“There has been a fantastic team effort by all agencies including our interstate and international colleagues in working to contain fire lines however we remain vulnerable to breakaways as well as new outbreaks, particularly as weather conditions once again deteriorate this week.”

Mr Waller said several of the large fires would not be controlled until we got significant and widespread rain. Any rainfalls predicted for early next week will be scattered and light, often accompanied by lightning strikes that cause additional threats.

CFA’s chief officer, Russell Rees, warned Victorians that next week’s predicted weather was of great concern and at this stage we looked like having total fire bans across the state.

Mr Rees appealed to the public to continue to stay vigilant, have a well-practised fire plan and support the emergency services in their endeavours to protect life and property.

“It is critically important that with the predicted conditions starting on Monday night, people consider activating their plans including the decision to leave on Monday, not Tuesday, when it could be too late.

“Our battle against fire is not over yet and we, the emergency services and the community, need to continue to support each other in combating this deadly risk.

“Our firefighters are still on high alert and well prepared for the next round of extreme fire danger predicted for Tuesday.”

Tony Murphy, MFB’s chief fire officer, appealed to all Melburnians to continue to stay aware of the high risk and play their part.

“Many suburbs across Melbourne have already experienced fires this summer that have threatened lives, property and public assets; and leading into yet another extreme fire danger period is not a time to become complacent.”

Mr Murphy also appealed to Melburnians to stay out of bushfire-prone areas. “If you don’t have a ‘damn’ good reason to go into these areas during an extreme fire period, then don’t go.”

Media enquiries: CFA media: 03 5330 3124
DSE Information unit: 03 9412 4777