The Country Fire Authority (CFA)is encouraging fire preparation and fire survival planning through community fireguard groups among residents in Latrobe Valley.Neighbours and friends are requested to share and discuss the fire survival plans and practical measures to adopt in case of a serious bushfire in the vicinity. The CFA educates the public on the importance of community fire guard because in the event of a bushfire only a group can effectively deal with the defending or escape plans properly.
“Community Fireguard is not a group discussion on fighting fires – it’s about planning what to do in the event of a bushfire. It is also a great way to get to know your neighbours and find out what their plans are”, says John Henshaw, CFA facilitator for community fireguard. The duty of facilitators is to encourage and educate the public on fire preparation and survival through joint meeting.
The temperature in many parts of Victoria has reached 42 degrees Celsius and the authorities have declared catastrophic fire warning in many parts of the state. In view of this the parks and forests are being closed and visitors are being urged to leave as soon as possible.
“Our direction to the campers in those parks, like the Grampians, Little Desert, Wyperfeld, is leave tonight, and at least leave tomorrow morning and go to a cool and safe place for your family and sit the day out,” Department of Sustainability and Environment chief fire officer Ewan Waller said. He discouraged bushwalking and travelling in the bush. Grampians National Park, Lake Hindmarsh Reserve and the Little Desert National Park are closed till the conditions become favorable.
“We want everyone to understand that you do not wait around for a fire and then get on the road. Being on the road during a fire is the most dangerous place to be. “Said CFA chief officer, Russell Rees.
During the past two months several people have tried to leave their homes even for small bushfire warnings in New South Wales. This could result in destruction of millions of dollars worth of property that might otherwise be defended and saved. In many cases people plan to leave their home at the first threat of fire. This trend was further deepened after the introduction of catastrophic fire danger ratings since last year. According to New South Wales firefighters, an overwhelming majority of people had abandoned their homes even during the low intensity fire.
”Since August, there’s been a very noticeable attitude in communities just to simply leave,” said Rob Rogers, an assistant commissioner with the NSW Rural Fire Service.
”We could end up with quite a high property loss,” he said. And if most residents fled there would be fewer people to douse embers left by the main fire front, increasing the potential for fresh blazes, Mr. Rogers said.
The fire warning system in Australia has changed slightly after the Black Saturday fires with the new fire danger ratings and also with the introduction of the new Emergency Alert, a new telephone based fire warning system that alert people through land phones and mobile phones At this stage people plan to go to the Neighbourhood safer places even though the authorities insist it as a last resort when other means to escape and defend fail. As such the authorities are planning to review the system.
