Bushfire fear scam

By Melissa Meehan
ELDERLY residents are being warned to watch out for tree lopping scammers following a new set of fire-related rules released by the State Government.
There have been a number of incidents reported where a group of men had approached elderly residents, saying they were obliged to remove trees from their properties in keeping with the new 10/30 rules.
Ryrie Ward councillor Jeanette McRae told the Mail she had been contacted by a resident worried that their 80-year-old mother had been approached by a group who told her a number of trees had to be removed because of fire risk.
Cr McRae said the residents had reported that the group in uniform had told the elderly woman that the trees had to be removed.
“Its very concerning that people are going around doing this.
“They should be assisting people to make their homes as fire ready as possible and not just focussing on cutting down trees.”
Shire of Yarra Ranges communications manager James Martin said the council had been made aware of a number of similar incidents in Mt Evelyn in the past week, but were concerned the same thing was happening to Healesville residents.
He said in one instance in Mt Evelyn a woman was “quoted” a figure of around $5000 for each tree.
“The lady was understandably very upset and was fearful that she would have to sell her home as she could not afford to have the trees removed,” he said.
“When she contacted council, the planning officer advised her that she was under no obligation to have any trees removed.
“The council is concerned that unscrupulous people are trying to prey on the elderly and is urging people who are approached in this way to contact the police.”
Healesville’s Sergeant Tony Van Gorp said while it was not necessarily a policing issue, it was disappointing that people were trying to take the elderly for a ride.
“This type of pressure sales aimed at our senior members of the community is a great concern,” Sgt Van Gorp said.
“While it is not directly a crime, it is morally wrong and people are strongly advised to say no and close the door and disregard anything they are told by this group,” he said. Healesville grandmother, Julie, who asked that her last name not be used, said she was approached by a group of men in a white van on the weekend.
“I was out the front with my dog and a man came over to me and said he wanted to talk to me,” she said.
“When I asked what he wanted, he said he was going around asking if any trees needed to be removed.”
When she told the men, who she described as quite intimidating, she did not want any trees removed they left.
“It was only that I knew what I was talking about that I was able to send them away,” she said.
Under the State Government’s 10/30 rules, landowners in bushfire prone areas are allowed to prepare their properties for the upcoming bushfire season.
The 10/30 right allows landowners to clear vegetation, including trees, within 10 metres of their house and any ground fuel within 30 metres of their house without a permit.
The amendments also allow residents to clear all vegetation, including trees, for four metres from their property boundary fence, and request the same of their neighbours.