A message from the Mayor - Fire safety

Published on 19 October 2015

The Fire Danger Period kicked off this morning and with the high temperatures we’ve already experienced, it looks like we could be in for a long hot summer. 

The recent fires at Koorlong and in some of our national parks really are of concern and it’s important everyone in this community do their bit to make sure we’re as fire ready as possible.  There are going to be a lot more hot days over the coming months and as we enter summer, the threat of fire will increase.

I encourage people, if they have not already, to clean up around their homes and properties, and continue to keep things tidy throughout summer. Traditionally October and November bring warm and stormy weather which will no doubt see the grass and weeds grow quickly again, so we all need to continue to be vigilant.

Remove any stockpiled rubbish and clean up grass and other fire hazards, ensure your home, shed and garages are free of overhanging branches, clearing gutters of debris and removing any dead vegetation and prunings.

Don’t forget green waste, such as lawn clippings, tree branches and prunings can be disposed of free of charge at our transfer stations and landfills.

Earlier this season Council officers inspected every street and road in the municipality to determine which properties needed attention prior to the fire season. Unfortunately, the number of notices we issued this year compared with the same time last year, have more than doubled.  In particularly we’re seeing a lot of non-producing irrigation properties being poorly maintained.

Council is now at the stage where we are employing contractors to clean up properties who have ignored notices served on them.  This is a costly exercise for the land owner – not only do they have to pay the contractor, but also administration fees and fines.

If you have received a notice, and you are yet to clear your property, we really encourage you to contact Local Laws staff at Council immediately to discuss your plans to clean up.

Council officers will continue to monitor properties and they will issue infringements if necessary throughout the summer.  I really do encourage you to contact the Local Laws staff if you have any queries in relation to your own or neighbouring properties. 

And this goes for Council properties too!  If you think we’ve missed something please let us know.

Let’s enjoy our usual hot, dry spring and summer and let’s do our very best to make it a fire-free season.

If you need tips on how to get your property ready for summer, remember to contact the CFA or check out their great website for ideas.  www.cfa.vic.gov.au