Open forum brings fire week to an end

By Monique Ebrington
MORE than 200 Upper Yarra residents filed into the Warburton Mechanic’s Institute Hall last Sunday, 18 October, for a community bushfire forum.
The forum hosted by Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato capped off the State Government’s Fire Action Week that ran from 11 to 18 October.
The forum was an opportunity for residents to hear presentations from CFA, DSE, Parks Victoria and Shire of Yarra Ranges representatives and for residents to ask questions.
The forum highlighted that no definite ‘Neighbourhood Safer Places’ (NSP) had been identified in the Upper Yarra.
Yarra Ranges Council’s manager of assets and maintenance services Grant Jack said residents could nominate buildings and areas they thought would make a suitable community fire refuge.
“We are actively looking for facilities that can be used as neighbourhood safer places,” Mr Jack said.
“We are calling for people to nominate places that think may be suitable.”
He said the shire would work with CFA members and residents in establishing whether there were any locations that matched NSP criteria within the Upper Yarra.
Mr Jack said open areas that could be considered as a NSP must be 310 metres away from dense vegetation.
He said for buildings the minimum distance must be 140 metres away from a significant fuel load, with the owners’ consent and be available 24 hours a day.
The issue of communication during a bushfire was also raised by John Schauble who represented the office of the Emergency Services Commissioner.
He said Upper Yarra CFAs could use sirens to warn residents of an approaching fire if there was an overwhelming amount of community interest.
Mr Schauble said a consultation process was being developed to determine whether communities wanted a warning siren, however, it wasn’t a foolproof warning method.
“A siren is not a failsafe warning,” Mr Schauble said.
“It doesn’t tell you what’s going on, it simply tells you that something’s going on.”
Ms Lobato said she was pleased with the turnout and the amount of information that was delivered to Upper Yarra residents.
“I was very pleased with the turn out and was encouraged by the fact that so many people come out on a Sunday afternoon to be educated on their fire preparation,” Ms Lobato said.
“I think having so many aspects covered in one afternoon was helpful for the community.”
For more information on Neighbourhood Safer Places please visit www.cfaconnect.net.au.