Confusions surrounds if 1000 Steps should be closed on total fire ban days

CONFUSION surrounds when to close the 1000 steps in Ferntree Gully, with the popular exercise spot remaining open last week on a total fire ban day.

Teams taking part in the 11th Oxfam Melbourne Trailwalker, a gruelling 100km journey from Wheelers Hill to Wesburn, tackle the 1000 Steps in the Dandenong Ranges National Park, Ferntree Gully.

THE 1000 Steps remained open last Tuesday despite a total fire ban and CFA safety concerns.

According to the Parks Victoria website, the steps, which attract up to 100,000 people a month, should be closed when the area is rated a “severe” or “extreme” fire danger.

Upper Ferntree Gully CFA captain Peter Smith said the area’s official fire risk rating last Tuesday was “severe”.

“It’s my feeling, as a long-time resident of the area, that we should just close it on days of total fire ban,” Mr Smith said. “At least then everyone knows what’s going on. We’ve got to try to put a policy together that says, OK, if it is a total fire ban let’s just shut the thing down, whether it’s only 17C or 37C.”

Parks Victoria Dandenong Ranges National Park area chief ranger Matt Hoogland admitted the fire risk message for the steps was confusing. Mr Hoogland said its fire danger rating figure was measured by the Coldstream weather station, which was at 36 last Tuesday, and the trigger to close the park was 50.

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The risk had always been gauged by the area’s fire danger index, despite previous reports the steps were closed on all days of total fire ban, he said.

“It’s a little bit technical and it’s not the easiest thing to message well so we probably need to look at better ways of doing that.”

Mr Hoogland said that “as a general rule it will be closed on most total fire ban days”, and he said people should check the Parks Victoria website for closures.

Meanwhile, Parks Victoria did not respond when asked about a solution to the carparking nightmare at the 1000 Steps.

Authorities have continued a crackdown on illegal parking at the site, with 40 fines issued on the Grand Final public holiday.

Belgrave Sergeant Carolyn Sunderland said police would continue to patrol the area.

“It’s a real debacle down there,” Sgt Sunderland said.

Mr Smith said there was not enough parking, and fire trucks could not get through when cars parked illegally.