Grim bushfire warning for Victoria as ‘whacky weather’ to continue

Victorians have been warned to prepare for a summer bushfire surge after one of the driest winters on record — and some parts of the state are at greater risk.

Victorians are bracing for a rise in the number of bushfires over summer after one of the driest winter periods on record.

A worrying decline in the amount of rainfall across most of the western and northeastern parts of the state has resulted in more fuels becoming available.

Parts of greater Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and southwest Gippsland have also seen a significant drop in rainfall.

Authorities say those areas have an increased risk of bushfires over the warmer months.

Victorians are being warned to brace for a surge in bushfires this summer.

That is despite peaks of about 50mm of rain recorded in parts of the state over the past two days.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the latest “whacky weather” would continue right through summer.

That will also increase the chances of more flash flooding events, particularly through December.

“It was one of the hottest winters on record,”

Keris Arndt from the Bureau of Meteorology said.

“We’re coming off the back of a very dry 18 months… this has a big effect on the status of fuels around the state.”

Victorians are being warned to be vigilant about fires over summer. Picture: Josie Hayden

Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent said all Victorians required a heightened awareness over the next few months.

He said last summer was previously deemed a “normal” fire season, which still saw dozens of homes wiped out in devastating fires near Pomonal.

“It will be a busy season ahead,” Mr Nugent said.

“A dry autumn and winter and the hottest winter on record with maximum temperatures for Victoria has resulted in higher fuel loads and drier conditions, which will make it easier for fires to start and run,” Mr Nugent added.

Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent says parts of western Victoria are of particular concern for fire risk. Picture: Nicki Connolly

CFA chief executive Jason Heffernan said while the fire season had already started, dry parts of western Victoria were of particular concern.

“The west and the southwest are those areas of concern, particularly those large regional centres such as Horsham, Bendigo, Ballarat, Portland and the like,” he said.

“The underlying dryness during winter, the lowest on record for some parts of Victoria, has led to significant dieback and undergrowth vegetation that is already dead... that will become available to fires in order to burn.

“The warm weather and the rainfall that we have received in the last couple of days will only add to that grass growth and ultimately fuel that will be available.”

The remainder of the state remains at a “normal” fire risk throughout summer.

Authorities are urging everyone, even those living in suburban Melbourne, to have a fire plan ready within the next few days.

Authorities are urging everyone to have a fire plan ready within the next few days.

Federal Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister said the outlook showed there was an increased risk of fire in the south, including large parts of Victoria.

Senator McAllister said Australians on the east coast were also preparing for a summer of severe storms, east coast lows and heat waves — which were the largest killer of all the natural hazards.

She urged people to understand the risks in their local area, have a plan, and a kit of things to take with you if you need to leave.

“We can’t eliminate these risks but we can prepare for them,” Senator McAllister said.

National Emergency Management Agency deputy coordinator, General Joe Buffone, said: “The areas that are highlighted in Victoria, in particular, are relatively high risk.”

Mr Buffone said it was “unlikely” that Australia would experience another Black Summer fire season.

But continual heat over two or three weeks in January and February could lead to significant fires.

Continual heat over two or three weeks in January and February could lead to significant fires.

He reminded people to listen to local emergency management service warnings and messages.

New Nationals Leader Danny O’Brien said regional communities were bracing for bushfires, particularly in the western part of the state which has been particularly dry.

“There is a concern about the lack of preparation that the government has done for what could be a very serious fire season,” he said.

Gippsland East MP Tim Bull said the community was still waiting for key infrastructure to be rebuilt five years on from the Black Summer bushfires, including the Cape Conran cabins and popular bushtracks.

“We are five years on, we still have significant, significant amounts of key infrastructure not rebuilt around Mallacoota Inlet Lake, major projects like the Cape Conran Cabins ... not even started,” he said.

Mr Bull said Premier Jacinta Allan had failed to visit the area, despite her predecessor pledging to support the community to get back on its feet.

“They’ve set us up for this to happen again,” he said.

“We’ve cut fire forest management staff. We’re down 2000 CFA operational volunteers.”

“This is the perfect storm.”

The SES has responded to about 600 calls for help within the past 48 hours, mainly for trees down and flooded roads.