Dry winter weather heightens Gippsland fire threat

Gippsland is facing a dangerous fire season this summer following a very dry winter and the emergency management sector is on high alert.

Gippsland is facing a dangerous fire season this summer following a very dry winter.

Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp has revealed Victoria’s east is looking at an above average season although the rest of the state has been rated as normal risk.

“The severity of fires in Victoria will still depend on several factors including the amount, location and timing of rain in the months leading up to and including over summer,” he said.

“Much of Gippsland has now experienced three consecutive years of significant low rainfall in autumn and winter.”

According to the Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook, drier conditions are also having impacts in the west with a risk that ash forests in the Central Highlands and Otways may dry out faster, increasing the risk over summer.

Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp with Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville. Picture: AAP

Mr Crisp said the emergency management sector was preparing ahead of the summer season.

“Pre-season briefings for emergency management ­personnel will begin to rollout across Victoria so our people understand the outlook, know the risks and are prepared to respond to emergencies, and work with communities,” he said.

“While emergency management agencies are preparing, it’s also important the community understands their own risk and is actively preparing. This is a shared responsibility.”

Forest Fire Management Victoria acting chief fire ­officer Chris Eagle said emergency management agencies would be keeping an eye on any change in conditions.

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“The outlook is a good early indication of what we will expect in the upcoming summer season and will be updated later in the year as predictions firm up,” he said.

CFA chief officer Steve Warrington said there would be fires in Victoria this summer. “We will again work with all our communities to help keep them safe,” he said.

“We also urge our farmers across the state to take care while harvesting and storing crops and hay in the coming months to avoid fires caused by machinery and self-combusting haystacks.”

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