Wednesday 7 October 2009
The Member for Northern Victoria Region, Candy Broad has urged local residents to take part in the state-wide Fire Action Week, kicking off on Sunday, 11 October and culminating in Prepare to be Fire Ready Day on Sunday, 18 October.
With this bushfire season expected to be worse than last summer when major fires claimed 173 lives, Ms Broad said it was vital residents started planning and preparing now.
“This week is a call to action,” Ms Broad said.
“Fire Action Week is a whole-of-state effort to encourage everyone to get fire ready. It is a time for residents to identify their risk, start preparing their bushfire survival plan and start clearing their properties.
“Every Victorian, no matter where they live, needs to be fire ready.”
Ms Broad said the aim of the week is to raise community awareness and support on-the-ground activities to help make neighbourhoods, communities and Victorians safer for the coming fire season.
“Our focus is to make Victorian communities as fire safe and as fire ready as possible. No one – no matter where they live or what their fire experience has been – can afford to be complacent.
“The Brumby Labor Government is working alongside local councils and communities to lead a range of activities, including clean-up working bees right across the state,” Ms Broad said.
Across Victoria, residents will be participating in activities such as:
- Clean up ‘working bees’ across the state;
- Residents getting their homes ready by clearing gutters;
- Managing fuel loads and fire risks on individual properties;
- CFA and MFB fire preparedness activities; and
- Community fireguard group meetings and other community meetings.
“Bunnings Warehouse has also teamed up with the Country Fire Authority to present free DIY Fire Ready workshops in all of its Victorian stores for Fire Action Week this Sunday, 11 October, at 11am,” said Ms Broad.
The Brumby Labor Government is putting in place a range of measures to ensure Victoria is as fire ready as possible, including hundreds of firefighters starting work earlier on fuel reduction burning, the CFA recruiting new members and agencies implementing key changes to fire management.
“The next fire season is only 21 days away, and it is vital that we all work together to take early action,” said Ms Broad.
More information on Fire Action Week can be found on the CFA website, the primary online channel for Fire Action Week: www.cfa.vic.gov.au.