Fire

Electricity distributor AusNet has spent almost $60 million on vegetation management and maintenance programs in the last 12 months, to prepare the network ready for summer. AusNet Executive General Manager Distribution, Andrew Linnie, said it’s important that the network is ready for severe weather events.

Despite a wind turbine fire in June having the potential to have caused widespread devastation, the Victorian Government has no plan to address and prevent future catastrophes … the Minister for Emergency Services was unable to report to Parliament or the thousands of CFA volunteers which turbines are fitted with fire suppression equipment, and what resources will be available to CFA volunteers to combat potential fires across any of the thousands of turbines distributed across some of the most fire prone areas in Victoria.

Privatisation and outsourcing are to blame for grass “higher than the white posts” along our region’s roadsides, according to SA Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis. The hazardous vegetation was raised in State Parliament this month by the Member for MacKillop, Nick McBride.

Forest Fire Management Victoria’s (FFMVic) newest recruits have been learning the ropes at a week-long training camp at Yackandandah in readiness for the summer bushfire season. The training ensures project firefighters are ready to fight fires and complete work to help reduce bushfire risk.

The NSW Government is warning consumers about the potential dangers of buying poor quality lithium-ion battery powered products as gifts this holiday season, which may pose a fire risk. The warning comes amid fears that substandard lithium-ion battery powered devices may flood the market during Black Friday, Cyber Monday and other pre-Christmas sales ahead of new regulations coming into effect next year.

The CFA is enhancing its driver training capability across Victoria thanks to 10 new driver training trucks along with additional driving educators. Deputy Chief Officer Operational Doctrine and Training, Rohan Luke, said the new custom designed driver training trucks will be delivered to CFA training grounds across the state ... The CFA has also created a world-first mixed reality fire aviation simulator ...

The Western Bundjalung community’s Ngullingah Jugun Aboriginal Corporation is working with Forestry Corporation to bring together knowledge of cultural burning with government bushfire management. A fire training course has been held in Jubullum Village, near Tabulam … the fire training will improve both the community and government response to wildfires.

Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) crews are currently focused on cutting grass on public land in the Murray Goldfields District to reduce the risk of grassfires this summer.  FFMVic Murray Goldfields Acting District Manager, Aaron Gay, said crews will be slashing a total of 2,000 hectares across 700 locations in the coming weeks.

Gingin volunteer firefighter and councillor Nikki Wood’s photo "We Work Together as One" is a state winner in the Resilient Australia awards. Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said the stirring image visually captured the joint response from firefighters, police, paramedics and the RAC rescue helicopter at a crash in Gingin.

Rachel Hagan. After about a 200-year hiatus, the Narungga Nation cultural burning practices have returned to Guuranda (Yorke Peninsula) to help bring back balance to a landscape traditionally shaped by fire. Throughout the year, a series of workshops have brought the burning practice back to Country at Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, Ardrossan grasslands and Minlagawi nature reserve.

“All the Bureau of Meteorology’s predictors in the western part of Victoria are showing a drier than usual lead up to the fire season , with soil moisture low, and a high fuel load ringing alarm bells for the next few months,” said Andrew White, CEO of the Victorian Forest Products Association.

The State of the Climate Report 2024 has found Australia’s weather and climate has continued to change, with an increase in extreme heat events, longer fire seasons, more intense heavy rainfall, and sea level rise. The report, prepared every two years, was released today by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and the Bureau of Meteorology.    

A cross-section of the nation’s leading minds have converged in Ballarat, to discuss the goal of creating a healthy and resilient future for Australia’s forests and share knowledge and ideas to ensure forests can provide a wide range of benefits for generations to come. Approximately 300 scientists, researchers, forestry professionals and foresters will gather at Forestry Australia’s National Symposium…

Fire agencies and land managers are developing a Bush Fire Risk Management Plan for the BFMC areas listed. The Central Darling Shire community is invited to participate in this process by having a say on how bush fire risk is managed.

Research conducted by Insurance provider, Youi, shows that only one in two Australians surveyed were concerned about bushfire risk, with one in four acknowledging that they are unprepared. Youi has launched a Bushfire Preparedness Hub with a wide range of tools and information to help going into bushfire season. ARR.News learnt more from Jim Smith, volunteer firefighter and former Deputy Commissioner for Fire and Rescue NSW.

The Cohuna Fire Brigade has a new appliance that will improve the services the brigade provides to the district. The new Hino rescue appliance was delivered and presented to brigade members on September 19 and replaces the Isuzu appliance that has been in use locally for seven years.

CFA is urging residents to prepare their properties ahead of the fire danger period, with parts of Victoria facing an early start to fire season. The AFAC seasonal outlook for Spring, released last month, predicts an increased fire risk in west and southwest Victoria, following a notably dry Autumn and Winter.

Andrew Mole. There is a certain can-do attitude when it comes to Koondrook and getting things done – and the town’s CFA volunteers are a prime example. On Sunday, the local brigade held a very casual, very enthusiastic and very well received open day to unofficially officially unveil its new annex.

The vehicles are part of a fleet of 29 ultra heavy tankers rolling out across regional Victoria ... The new tankers will provide a valuable boost to the capability of the brigades ahead of the upcoming fire season. Valued at $440,000 each, the ultra heavy tankers have a 10,000-litre water tank, improving the ability to fight fires in rural areas with open grasslands…

The NSW Government is getting on the front foot ahead of bushfire season with helicopter inspections underway on fire trails across the state to prioritise maintenance work ... Helicopter-based inspections are considered more efficient than ground patrols by vehicles, particularly in remote and less-accessible areas, and reduce check times from months to weeks.