Shire slashes the risks

By Kath Gannaway
BY THE end of December, more than 1000 kilometres of roadside will have been slashed, and 56,000 properties inspected for fire hazards as part of the Shire of Yarra Ranges’ preparation for the fire season.
Yarra Ranges mayor Monika Keane said, just as many residents are busy preparing their properties, the shire was also in full swing preparing Yarra Ranges for the fire danger season ahead.
“The shire has a planned and thorough approach to preparing for the bush fire season,” Cr Keane said.
In addition to slashing and inspections, upwards of 1800 clean up notices will have been issued to property owners, 78 fire access tracks have been maintained or upgraded and the water tank at Badger Creek Road, Donna Buang, will have been replaced. New tanks will have been installed in Macclesfield and Gladysdale. Fifty-eight water supply points and 48 water tanks will be ready for fire fighting.
“Our Emergency and Safety Planning team work closely with community groups, the CFA, Victoria Police and the Department of Sustainability and the Environment to identify and reduce fire hazards and to maintain strategic fire fighting resources including water tanks, access roads and tanker fill points,” Cr Keane said.
Streeton Ward Councillor, Fire Prevention Committee delegate and CFA Volunteer Cr Noel Cliff said part of the Shire’s plan is making sure that private property does not present an unacceptable safety risk to the wider community.
He urged people to clean up their properties and to maintain them regular-ly throughout the fire danger period.
“Don’t wait for a Fire Prevention Notice – if you need to clean up to make your property fire safe do it now,” Cr Cliff said.
The Emergency and Safety Planning team’s Glenn Hunt said the shire will not hesitate to issue people with Fire Prevention Notices in accordance with the Country Fire Act.
“We issue notices if we inspect and find private property presents a fire risk or a potential fire risk to the community,” Mr Hunt said.
He said that it’s a big task to inspect over 50,000 properties.
“We can’t inspect all properties at once, so the inspections are staged over several weeks and done as quickly as we can physically get through them. Priority is given to the highest risk areas.
“We urge residents concerned about fire hazards on private properties to understand that the shire is legally required to give property owners reasonable time to address the hazard themselves before the shire can send in hazard clearance contractors.
“We understand it can be very frustrating to live near a property which may present a fire risk, particularly if those responsible for the property’s maintenance are absent.
“While we can never eliminate the risk of bushfire, through everyone doing simple and practical fuel reduction on their properties, together we can minimise the overall bushfire risk across the shire,” he said.
The shire has a dedicated emergency management team of six full-time members who are trained Fire Prevention Officers. In addition, during an emergency abut 80 volunteer shire staff are trained to assist in co-ordinating emergency response and recovery efforts.
For more information about making your property fire safe visit the Shire’s website at www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au, contact the Emergency and Safety Planning team on 1300 368 333 or contact CFA Region 13 on 1800 240 667.
Operation Fire Safe is Council’s annual bushfire safety program.
This year posters themed ‘What’s your plan?’ are a part of raising the community’s awareness of the need to plan for the fire season.
Look for the posters at the Shire’s Community Links, neighbourhood houses and libraries.
People interested in spreading the preparation message can pick up a poster from a Community Link.