The CFA’s northern and western metropolitan regional chief has warned of ‘‘a very busy season’’ for emergency services given the high potential for grassfires.
Commander John Deering said there had been abundant grass growth following heavy rain.
The warning was issued last week at meetings in Craigieburn of emergency services personnel from Melbourne’s north west.
CFA, MFB and Parks Victoria representatives held two briefings to discuss the coming fire season. They were attended by about 400 people, including SES, police, army, Department of Sustainability and Environment, and council representatives.
The north-west metro area includes Hume, Whittlesea, Moonee Valley, Brimbank, Melton and Wyndham.
Parks Victoria’s chief ranger for western Melbourne, Rocky Barca, said: “[The briefings are] about all agencies and all personnel being aware that we are about to enter the fire season so they’re really prepared to face the season that awaits us.
“People think someone else is [providing protection] and not thinking for themselves. The key to emergency management is that everyone needs to take ownership.”
MFB commander Darren McQuade said among the biggest challenges for emergency services personnel in the north-west metro region was the short duration and high impact of fires in the growth areas.
‘‘The onset of the fires is quite quick onto the urban interface [growth] areas.”
Mr Deering said the authorities had learned a lot from a grass- fire which burnt through 2040 hectares in Epping, Wollert, Kalkallo and Donnybrook in February.
“We did a complete review of that fire and learnt some pretty good things. Some things we did quite well and some things we have to improve on.
“Things like communicating with our community is a key thing we need to improve on.
“This year we are refining those messages. If a fire starts in those areas there’s not a lot of time to get the message out.
“Timing is a key issue in warning communities.”
