The Fire Danger Period will begin at 0100 hours on Monday 9th December 2019 for the following municipalities in CFA's District 7:
- Borough of Queenscliffe
- City of Greater Geelong
- Golden Plains Shire
- Surf Coast Shire
The Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Southern Australia has identified for the potential for above normal bushfire activity, there's the likelihood for a rapid onset into summer, with warmer days and nights, and quickly moving towards severe fire danger days.
A warm and dry outlook also carries some risk that ash forests in the central highlands and Otways may dry out faster and become more flammable than normal during summer.
CFA District 7 Operations Manager Mick McGuinness said the area has experienced average rainfall over the winter and spring, with excellent cereal crops being produced amongst our farming communities along with significant grass growth across the District.
"We are seeing very dry soil in the Otways which means a dry bush area along the coast that will sustain significant fire," he said.
"While CFA and its partner agencies Parks Victoria, Forest Fire Management, and Emergency Management Victoria are doing everything we can to prepare for the bushfire season, we look to the community to use common sense and take responsibility for preventing fires."
"We live in one of the most bush fire prone areas in the world, we all must accept this, and the community must plan and prepare their property early every year for the summer bush fire period."
Mr McGuinness said residents still had a short window of opportunity to clean up their property if they hadn't already done so.
"People need to be aware that if using fire to clean up around their properties they need to register these on 1800 668 511. So far this year, out-of-control burn-offs and unregistered burn-offs have already caused unnecessary call-outs to for brigades," he said.
"You should not burn off when winds are high or high winds are forecast - not only on the day of your burn but for the days afterwards.
