By Callum Ludwig
Temperatures above 30 degrees have started to come about more regularly, after seeming to take an age to arrive.
With a hotter and drier environment comes the perfect condition for a fast-spreading grassfire, and it is important to be prepared.
Captain of the Yellingbo CFA Jeremy Hardy said it is important to be aware.
“We are certainly seeing longer grass start to really dry out now after having lots of rain, so there definitely is some potential for grass fires, which can spread into the bush as well,” he said.
“People can still burn off at the moment, there is no word at this stage as to when we’ll enter the fire danger period here in the Yarra Ranges, so people need to be conscious of their burns.”
None of the Yarra Ranges, Knox, Maroondah or Cardinia municipalities has entered a Fire Danger Period yet this summer. Neighbouring municipality Nillumbik entered a short period that ended on Thursday 5 January.
Mr Hardy said there are a number of things to keep in mind if you are planning a burn-off.
“Make sure the grass around the burn has been cut to a practical level, make sure you’ve got water available around the areas where you’re burning off and don’t burn off under trees,” he said.
“The other thing to keep in mind is the unpredictable weather at the moment where we are having storms, with lightning strikes and things like that. If people do have dried patches of grass, it could be prone to catching fire if there is a lightning strike.”
Grassfires can travel up to 25 km per hour and pulse even faster over short distances.
Mr Hardy urged everyone to be well aware of their fire plans.
“Contact 000 straight away, and then put your fire plan into place and make sure you have had everything ready beforehand, such as an adequate water supply,” he said.
“If burning off, make sure you register your burn off on the hotline or the website and make sure when you pit it out, that the fire is cold to the touch. If operating machinery, or completing tasks such as welding or grinding, have water or a fire extinguisher nearby as sparks can cause the grass to ignite. Perhaps consider avoiding those tasks in hot conditions.”
Making sure machinery is free from any faults and mechanical defects that could start a fire and are fitted with an approved spark arrestor can help prevent accidental fires.
