Bushfire apathy

By Russell Bennett
BILLANOOK Ward councillor Tim Heenan fears poor bushfire awareness could put another Black Saturday event on the cards for hills residents.
Cr Heenan was furious after only two local residents attended in full a community fire awareness meeting in Mount Evelyn on Monday night (23 January).
He was one of them.
“Why can’t we get more people there?” he asked.
“Howard Shell, the facilitator, said: ‘If you’re going to stay (with your home during a bushfire), and you’re unprepared, you will die’.
“It was a very frank, and serious conversation, but there were only two people there to hear it.”
The Yarra Ranges’ fire danger period officially began on the morning of the Mount Evelyn community meeting, but Cr Heenan said not many locals would have known that.
He said the CFA needed to take out more advertising in local media to alert residents.
“People can’t afford to be complacent,” he said.
“They need to keep hearing the (fire safety) message because it’s so bloody important.
“We don’t want another Black Saturday on our hands. We need to make this stuff known.”
Cr Heenan was puzzled at the timing of the declaration of the Fire Danger Period (FDP).
He said the CFA should have called fire restrictions from the end of December.
“We’ve had 21 months of fuel reduction in a row now without restriction,” he said.
“Everyone was happy to keep water restrictions at Level 3.
“They would be fine with longer fire restrictions too.”
Cr Heenan said hills residents were in “The brave new world after Black Saturday” and putting fire signs out in the community on the first day of restrictions did not make sense.
But the CFA has defended the timing of the fire danger period, and says it did take out local advertising in the lead-up to the Mount Evelyn Fire Ready Victoria meeting.
“The CFA has embraced a suite of measures to connect with the community and educate Victorians about bushfire preparedness,” a spokesman said.
“The declaration of the FDP was communicated to the community via local media, the CFA website, council websites, roadside signs and prominent signs at most local brigades.
“It’s important residents are given the maximum opportunity to take measures to reduce the build-up of fuel on their properties before restrictions are enforced.”
But the spokesman said the onus was on residents to prepare themselves for bushfire.
“It’s everyone’s responsibility,” he said.
“Even now it’s not too late to clear your property of fuel.”
He praised hills residents for a “huge increase” in bookings for the personalised Home Bushfire Advice Service, which provides tailored one-on-one advice on property preparation from fire experts.
For details on restrictions during the Fire Danger Period, visit cfa.vic.gov.au