Moorabool firefighters have put irresponsible smokers and landholders on notice, warning that preventable blazes are draining local resources.
Eight fire trucks from Bacchus Marsh were called out to a grass fire in Darley and an out-of-control planned burn at a Parwan property on November 26.
Bacchus Marsh CFA Fourth Lieutenant Dale Salatheil said the first fire, which spread across grass beside the Western Freeway, is suspected to have been started by a cigarette thrown from a car window.
“If these sort of fires weren’t happening, we could be even better prepared for the ones that can’t be helped due to lightning, storms and house fires,” he said.
“We’ve sent one truck to New South Wales to help them out, so we’re one down already.”
The roadside blaze took 10 firefighters 25 minutes to contain, with smoke visible from the Gisborne Road bridge.
Mr Salatheil said that with Moorabool listed among the state’s high-risk regions this summer, the fire could have been much worse.
“If the grass was any drier it could’ve travelled up the hill, [which is] particularly dangerous because they travel faster upwards.
‘‘We’re fortunate in this case that the grass was cut, but sometimes this can lead to the mown, dead grass setting alight.”
Mr Salatheil said about five fires every year were caused by cigarette butts being thrown from car windows in Moorabool.
“I’d encourage people to call the police if they see someone throwing their butts out.”
Moorabool police’s Inspector Brendon McCrory warned that litterbugs faced stiff penalty notices and fines.
“If you are witnessed by police depositing small items of litter, such as an extinguished butt, the penalty is a $288 on-the-spot fine,” he said.
“For a still-lit butt it’s a $577 fine, and you risk further prosecution. All we ask is that you don’t flick butts from your cars.”
Inspector McCrory said as part of statewide Operation Firesetter, local police would conduct patrols in high-risk areas and near the location of recidivist offenders.
Summer fire restrictions have not been declared in Moorabool or Melton, but an announcement is expected shortly.
Twenty-four new firefighters graduated from the CFA’s Fiskville training college last Friday and will be immediately deployed to brigades across the state.
