CFA struggles with new ratings

CATASTROPHIC confusion may prevail across the state if the new code red fire alert is issued this fire season.

CATASTROPHIC confusion may prevail across the state if the new code red fire alert is issued this fire season, as some CFA workers themselves struggle to explain the new national fire ratings.

Four days after the country's first "catastrophic code red" was issued in South Australia, hundreds of Victorian towns are still waiting for updated or new fire-danger rating information boards with the new code red warning.

Horsham and Ballarat CFA workers said they had not received a new fire warning board, but a CFA spokesman said the project was the responsibility of the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner.

An OESC spokeswoman said the 4000 new boards would be rolled out across the state in December and denied the delivery after the start of the bushfire season was putting lives at risk.


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She said the new boards would not be arrow boards stating the day's ratings but would have a phone number and website people could call to find out the rating.

Another CFA spokesman was yesterday unsure if the six new fire danger ratings were national or just for Victoria.

"I think so, maybe not - I'm not too sure," he told the Herald Sun.

Black Saturday survivor Bill Hill, from Labertouche, said he hoped a code red would never be issued in his lifetime.

"I hope they don't use it lightly as it is something that is going to frighten the crap out of everyone and we'll think the end of the world is coming," Mr Hill said.

As South Australians this week reported confusion over the new code red rating, unsure whether schools would close or whether to evacuate, Victorian CFA state control centre spokesman Trevor Miles defended the rating.

He denied the new code red, which instructs people to leave the night before or early in the morning, would spark panic.

He said the predictions were based on fire behaviour, temperature, humidity, wind and drought .

CFA chief Russell Rees yesterday was unavailable for comment.