Surf Coast Times & Bellarine Times

A busy spring burns program has seen the Department of Sustainability and Parks Victoria carry out 550 hectares of planned burning in the Otway Fire District, which takes in Otways, Surf Coast, and the Bellarine.

And there are more to come, according to DSE Otway district land fire manager Andrew Morrow.

“The end of the planned burning season is determined when fuel loads and weather conditions are deemed unsuitable in terms of control,” he said.

“There’s a significant amount of work that goes into maintaining burns and determining suitable sites. It’s important this time of year to stitch up burns well.

“There’s a window of suitable weather and wind (this) week, which should see us continue our burns program.”

Likely sites include areas in Anglesea and Lorne.

Given the recent bushfires in WA, Mr Morrow said the DSE were very mindful of the risks of burning and considerable research goes into location, size of burn, fuel types and wind direction and strength.

“There’s a high degree of variability from each year about when we burn,” he said.

“In some of the drought years we stopped spring burns as early as November whereas this year we began our Autumn burning program in mid-February given our damp and cool summer.”

Overall, the planned burning program in Victoria this year has seen more than 27,000 hectares already treated.

DSE chief fire officer Ewan Waller said more than 170 burns have already been completed across the state this spring to help protect the lives and homes of Victorians.

“We usually complete about 10 percent of our burns in spring,” Mr Waller said.

“Planned burning is the best way of reducing fuel loads and bushfire risk to the Victorian community.”

For information on fires or planned burns in Victoria and general fire safety, please contact the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on freecall 1800 240 667, visit www.dse.vic.gov.au and for information about fire restrictions, fire bans and fires on private land at www.cfa.vic.gov.au.