The Victorian government has insisted publicly releasing bushfire fuel load maps would provide a "to-do list" for arsonists, with one senior minister saying he would rather be suspended from Parliament than release the information.
Premier Daniel Andrews has shot down the latest call to produce the maps from the state opposition, which has claimed lives are at risk because communities are unaware of fuel load hazards.
The state opposition says fuel load maps would help communities prepare for bushfires. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Mr Andrews said Forest Fire Management authorities provided advice on "many different occasions" not to publicly release the fuel load maps. Not doing so was also a "commonsense thing", the Premier said on Wednesday.
"The first point is that common sense tells you we're not going to be providing to the criminal element a list of places where they should concentrate their effort.
"The second point is advice has been provided consistently to the government that it is not appropriate to release that data."
On Wednesday the Victorian opposition's David Davis said fuel loads were a key factor behind the fires and that maps would allow residents to understand the risks and agitate for controlled burns.
Premier Daniel Andrews insists his government will not be publicly releasing fuel load maps. Credit: AAP
But Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville said authorities had identified dry soils and falling moisture levels in forests as the driving force behind this year's infernos.
"If we think fuel management is the panacea, it's just not the case. We do do strategic burns, and in fact if you have a look at some of the burns that we've done in East Gippsland in the last period of time ... they were strategic, but the fires just went through, it was like they were never burnt," Ms Neville said.
Bushfire fuel load maps were routinely publicly released until about four years ago but the government has so far resisted calls by the upper house in recent months to provide maps to communities.
Forest Fire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman said the government and Emergency Management Victoria were advised in December not to release the maps over fears doing so could potentially be used by arsonists.
Senior minister Gavin Jennings, who was suspended from Parliament for six months in 2016 for refusing to produce government documents related to road tolls and coal developments, said he would rather be kicked out of Parliament again than release the fuel load maps.
"If I'm going to be kicked out for six months to keep the community safe, let that be the price," Mr Jennings said.
Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien said the maps would allow people to understand if they were vulnerable, and then take action to make themselves safer.
"You've got to ask, who is being protected by the cover-up of the fuel load maps, because we know that sure as hell the community is being put at risk," Mr O'Brien said.
Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville says fuel reduction burns are not the panacea to bushfires. Credit: AAP
There are still seven fires burning across Victoria, Ms Neville revealed on Wednesday. Since November 21, there have been 2900 grass fires and 545 forest fires, almost all caused by dry lightning.
Troy McEwan, a Swinburne University associate professor of clinical and forensic psychology, also said publicly releasing fuel load maps could provide arsonists with detailed information.
"The fact that this information could be used as a source of knowledge for people with an interest in setting fires needs to be taken seriously – it doesn't mean it should be the only thing taken into consideration but it shouldn't be dismissed."