Hills crews fire up

By Casey Neill
THE hills were ablaze again this week as fire crews worked their way through seven planned burns in the Dandenongs on their way towards a record.
Last week across Victoria they had completed almost five times more fuel-reducing fires than at the same time last year.
Premier John Brumby said milder than average conditions had meant fire crews could do more burns earlier.
“And for the first time, fire authorities have used new night goggles, which are on trial from the United States,” he said.
“They allow crews to monitor burns and fires at night from helicopters.”
Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings last week said 193 burns covering more than 31,000 hectares had been conducted since mid February.
He said early recruitment of project firefighters had helped.
“Each year our project firefighters join more than 2700 permanent firefighting and support staff,” he said.
“This fire season we started them earlier and will keep them on longer.
“This has also meant we’ve been able to do slashing, track maintenance and other fire protection works earlier than in previous years.”
Crews targeted Kalorama, Silvan, Mt Dandenong, Tremont and Sassafras areas in recent weeks.
Dandenong Ranges Community Bushfire Group secretary Mel Gajdek hoped the program could be maintained.
“Tens of thousands of people live in this beautiful but heavily fuelled area and we should do our best to both maintain its natural form while protecting the people who have been permitted to live here,” she said.
Ms Gajdek said the group hoped the Bushfires Royal Commission would recommend a State Government-funded scientific study and review on fuel reduction in the Dandenongs, “highlighting what may be done in future to improve residential and village protection”, she said.
Parks Victoria burn officer Trevor McIntosh said planned burns in the Dandenong Ranges could be complex with houses so close to the park, and they required a lot of people.
Mount Evelyn Environment Protection and Progress Association president Franc Smith said recent burns were “responsible foresting”.
“It’s a prime opportunity to do clearing,” he said.
“The question remains – how much is enough and how much are you going to do?”
Department of Sustainability and Environment chief fire officer Ewan Waller said planned burning was the best tool to reduce future risk of large-scale damaging and dangerous bushfires.
But he said it also carried inherent risks.
“To minimise these risks we work closely with the Bureau of Meteorology and rely on weather forecasting that’s far more accurate and reliable than a decade ago,” he said.
“Each burn is backed up by extensive planning and contingency plans and is carried out by experienced and skilled firefighters.”