Take care in our state forests this long weekend

(Provided)

With thousands of Victorians expected to make the most of the long weekend by exploring beautiful parks, forests and reserves, Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) is asking

visitors to plan ahead and enjoy their trip.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Scott Falconer said whether you’re camping, walking, riding or driving, weekends are a great opportunity to discover beautiful parks, forests and reserves.

“We want people to enjoy forests, but with 17 unattended campfires found across the Loddon Mallee region in the last two weeks, FFMVic are reminding visitors to follow campfire safety

rules to make sure the bush is healthy and safe for everyone to enjoy.”

It’s the middle of summer, so if it’s hot or windy, use common sense and don’t light a campfire. If you do have a campfire, it’s your responsibility to know the rules when building and maintaining your campfire. Before you leave, please make sure it’s fully extinguished with

water, not soil – if it’s cool to touch it’s safe to leave.

Any fires that start this weekend could spread quickly, so people should monitor the conditions and use the VicEmergency app and listen to local emergency radio stations in case of

bushfire, storms or flooding.

Parts of the state have been and is still impacted by recent heavy rainfall and flooding. Please take care, drive slowly and follow any closures. Before you travel, check the FFMVic and Parks Victoria closure pages.