Residents living in suburbs on the edge of Melbourne and large
regional cities are being urged to understand they’re at risk of fire as
part of this year’s Fire Action Week.
As residents of Donnybrook and Epping discovered on February 18
this year, grassfires can threaten homes, and even lives, in the
suburbs.In just a few hours, it burnt 2040 hectares, destroyed a house, nine sheds and a number of farm machines and 3000 hay bales were lost. There was also significant damage to fencing in the area.
CFA Northern and Western Metropolitan Region’s Manager Community Safety David Allen said the incident showed the threat of fire was not limited to regional and rural Victoria.
“Under the right conditions, a fire can cause significant damage in a short amount of time. So many people still think it won’t happen to them, but the grassfire risk is very real in urban interface areas, and residents need to plan accordingly,” he said.
“Anyone living in an urban rural grassland area holds the responsibility of knowing the risks they face and should be preparing now - you need to clear weeds, sticks and leaves, and remove firewood, rubbish and other fuel from around your property.”
Mr Allen said as important as it was to prepare your property, it was just as important to prepare yourself for fire.
“The risk posed by these urban grassfires can be quite different to a bushfire. Often, simply sheltering in your home, or moving one street back from the fire is the safest option. Either way, you need to plan what you’ll do now, ahead of the summer fire season.”
Find out more about fire prevention and protection at CFA Victoria
