A PERFECT year for grain farmers equates to a perfect year for bush and grass fires.
Fire danger across northern Victoria this Summer is forecast to be extreme.
“It’s the worst I’ve seen.”
That is the blunt assessment of Country Fire Authority district manager, Operations Manager Peter Taylor.
“It’s been a ripping year for growth with crops and grass over the fence height,” he said.
“Then you add roadside growth, you have continuous conditions for serious fires.”
Operations Manager Taylor said that the conditions would mean hotter fires that were more difficult to extinguish.
“They say it every year [that conditions are bad], but I don’t,” he said.
“It will be a very, very dangerous year.”
The region will have access to additional aircraft, which will be located to coincide with the grain harvest consecutively at Ouyen, Sea Lake and Boort.
Operations Manager Taylor said that all CFA District 20 brigades are being briefed on strategies to deal with Summer fires and would “hit fires hard and fast” with multiple tanker crews being deployed.
Municipalities and road authorities are expected to mow parts of road reserves when moisture levels subside and shire water tankers, graders and private appliances will be utilised when necessary.
“The community must buy in and take steps to minimise the risk,” he said.
“Over the next two or three weeks, clean up around your property, make sure there are firebreaks and mow long grass.”
Citizens are also urged to download the new Emergency Victoria mobile telephone app, which replaces the Fire Ready app.
The CFA will also be working with police in a zero-tolerance stance against deliberate or careless fires during the Summer danger period.
Victorian Farmers Federation vice-president, Brett Hosking, who is a member of the Gredgwin volunteer fire brigade, said that the VFF had devised a voluntary grain harvesting guide for farmers to ensure that harvesting operations are suspended on days of extreme fire danger.
He said farmers needed to ensure their harvesting equipment is well maintained, that they have access to fire extinguishers, water and a UHF radio or mobile phone.
