GRASS fires in Dixons Creek over February have prompted local brigades to issue a reminder to Yarra Valley residents that the fire season is not yet over.
The fires prompted another response, for residents to be aware of the underlying anxieties that have perhaps lain dormant until this first real summer since the Black Saturday bushfires.
Eastern Access Community Health (EACH) Bushfire Recovery responded with a debrief session just two days after a second fire on 25 February in response to calls from anxious residents.
Local brigades responded quickly to the fires which were started by lightning strikes.
Yarra Glen CFA captain Bill Boyd said however people were understandably nervous, with the brigade receiving numerous calls to the first fire on Friday, 15 February in Bleases Lane and another just over a week later on Monday 25 February.
“With these very hot days, fires around the state and wind carrying the smoke, people are nervous, and that’s understandable,” he said.
He said the latest fire had burnt about 16 hectares between Gulf and Wills roads and that there were a number of houses in the area.
The fire was burning through paddocks which had been slashed but Capt Boyd said with grass on the ground it had the typical characteristics of a grass fire, starting at the bottom of a hill and picking up momentum quite quickly as it travelled up the slope.
He said people needed to remain vigilant, despite recent rains.
“We still have March to get through and with temperatures set to reach into the high twenties next week, people need to be very careful they don’t get complacent.”
Jodie Bowker, EACH Bushfire Recovery Co-ordinator said EACH bushfire workers had received phone calls and emails following the second fire, as well as casual meetings with people in the street whose stress levels had risen afterwards and who were distressed.
“It was short notice, but we wanted to provide an opportunity for people to come along in an informal setting and just let out what they were feeling as soon as possible,” Ms Bowker said.
She said one of the surprising outcomes was the number of people who went along who did not know about the services provided by EACH Bushfire Recovery.
She said the underlying fear was a feeling of ‘here we go again’.
“One thing we have noticed over summer is that every time there is a hot, windy day people’s anxiety levels rose, and that’s so normal when you realise that for the last three years we haven’t really had a summer.”
Ms Bowker said EACH is planning another session next week for residents in bushfire affected communities. For further information email jbowker@each.com.au or phone 9871 1890.
