The Fire Danger Period has arrived, so Horsham Rural City Council is reminding landowners that now is a critical time to prepare their properties for the months ahead.
Fire season will start Monday in the Horsham North region, while CFA restriction for Horsham South are expected to soon follow.
Director Communities and Place Kevin O'Brien said Council Fire Prevention Officers were inspecting properties around the municipality to identify any dangerous fuel levels that needed to be addressed," Mr O'Brien said.
"Fire prevention notices would be issued to property owners if the fire prevention officer determined that anything on their land would constitute a danger to life or property in the event of a fire.
"Where a property is identified as posing a fire risk, Council will serve each owner with a Fire Prevention Notice via posted mail. So, it is important that any change of address details are registered before November. Penalties of $1,652 per owner apply for failure to comply," he said.
Landowners must reduce hazardous ground fuels by slashing grass as well as removing undergrowth, fallen branches and tree cuttings.
While pruning trees is good practice, removing whole trees without a permit is not allowed.
It is also good practice to include tasks such as clearing leaf litter from gutters and sealing gaps in exterior walls.
