By KATH GANNAWAY
THREE out-of-control burn-offs in the Upper Yarra area this week days are a warning that what’s legal may not always be advisable.
As temperatures soared on Wednesday, units from Warburton and Wesburn-Millgrove brigades raced to Hooks Road at the base of Mount Little Joe after an ember from a legal burn-off set fire to a nearby pile of logs.
The potential for the fire to spread was a very real concern, according to CFA volunteers who poured water and foam on to the logs and surrounding area.
The northerly aspect of Mount Little Joe, at the top of Hooks Road, is regarded as the driest aspect in the Yarra Valley and the danger was that if it had spread, it would have had plenty of fuel to race up the mountain.
While fire restrictions don’t come in until the end of the month, Wesburn-Millgrove CFA’s Brian Halit said people needed to look at the weather conditions and the location of the fire before burning off.
“The message here is it may be desirable to burn off, but never leave a fire unattended, and make sure you have enough water on hand to deal with any situation that arises,” he said.
“We do urge people to clean up their properties, but they also need to take due care.”
Fire restrictions in Yarra Ranges come in at 1am on 30 November.
