Geelong and Bellarine residents warned against bushfire complacency ahead of fire season

A former firefighter has warned the wildfires currently devastating Hawaii “could easily happen” in Geelong, calling one Bellarine nature reserve a “ticking time bomb”.

Locals concerned about Ocean Grove Nature Reserve bush fire risks. Picture: Alan Barber

A former firefighter has labelled a reserve near Ocean Grove a “ticking time bomb” amid concerns over bushfire prevention complacency across Geelong.

Geelong resident and former Hamilton brigade member, Peter Groves, says homeowners

should be taking precautions and “fire proofing houses”, using the wildfires currently sweeping Hawaii as an example of how devastating fire could be.

He said residents were concerned about the state of the Ocean Grove Nature Conservation Reserve on Grubb Road.

Residents have long been concerned about the bushfire threat in the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve. Photo: Alan Barber.

“With everything that is happening in Hawaii, there is no reason why we couldn’t see a repeat of that around Geelong,” he said.

“The reserve on Grubb Rd is like an unexploded bomb.

“If that took off all the houses would be in trouble, there are a lot of valuable houses and animals in the area.”

The death toll in the coastal Hawaiian town of Lahaina sits at 99, with emergency recovery crews expecting to find 10-20 more bodies a day for more than a week.

The blaze isthe most horrific in the US in a century.

Mr Groves has called for Parks Victoria and the City of Greater Geelong to take proactive measures ahead of summer.

“They should be burning Grubb Rd reserve off now, get some controlled burning going,” he said.

“It is a ticking time bomb.

“It doesn’t take much to start a bushfire and the Bellarine would be in trouble.”

Carcasses of cars can be seen among the ashes of a burnt neighborhood in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii on August 14, 2023. The death toll could double over the next 10 day. Photo: Yuki IWAMURA / AFP.

Some residents have also expressed concerns about areas off Murradoc Rd, between Drysdale and St Leonards.

A new $3.2m CFA fire station has recently been completed at the entrance of St Leonards and will be fully operational before December.

Ruth Vickers-Willis, who lives on Woodlands Drive in Ocean Grove, said she was “also very mindful” about the fire hazard forming at the Grubb Road nature reserve.

Her father was a firefighter during the Ash Wednesday Bushfires in 1983 that killed 75 people, including 47 in Victoria

“It’s very much on my mind. There is a lot of dead wood in there,” she said.

“We are lucky living in these leafy areas, so we need to be prepared.”

The popular nature reserve is close to housing estates in the growing Ocean Grove township. Picture: Alan Barber.

A Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action spokeswoman said they were working with the Friends of the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, Parks Victoria and the the CFA “year round” to manage and reduce fuel loads, and enhance the ecological health of the park.

She said a number of fuel reduction works have been completed, including planned burns and extensive mechanical mulching.

“slashing and mulching has been found to be the most effective way to reduce fuels in the reserve, as it allows us to target specific species and protect larger trees,” she said.

“It also helps improve the biodiversity of the reserve by encouraging healthy grassy woodlands and can be safely conducted year-round.

“Combined, these activities reduce fuel hazard levels and provide a buffer to nearby residential and commercial properties.”

City of Greater Geelong’s Emergency Management Team recommends all community members understand the importance of being prepared for fires, including preparing properties with proper landscaping, maintenance and home improvements.

This includes cutting grass to 100mm, removing fine fuels and any flammable materials, maintaining trees and cutting them back away from buildings, and clearing gutters.

CoGG has also been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Geelong and Bellarine residents warned against bushfire complacency ahead of fire season