MELTON fire authorities are bracing for a prolonged period of heightened fire danger this month.
Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said the peak of the fire season has only just arrived and a lack of rain has completely dried most areas of grassland and bush across Victoria.
“Traditionally, we know that February is a bad month for fires… it will only take a few days of hot weather like we have coming up, to be faced with severe or extreme fire danger again,” Mr Lapsley said.
Bureau of Meteorology data released last week revealed rainfall across the state during the past month was well below average.
“This combined with heavy fuel-loads caused by rains and flooding across the state over the past couple of years means we are faced with a serious fire risk.”
Northern and Western Metropolitan Regional Controller Rocky Barca said this was particularly dangerous in grassland areas across the region and on the urban interface.
“The grass is already 100 per cent cured and even with the rain we’ve had, it won’t take long to dry out again as temperatures rise throughout this week,” he said.
“Even in mild conditions we’ve seen grassfires run freely and pose a serious risk to lives and property.”
He said residents in areas like Mount Cottrell also needed to be aware and prepared for the threat of bushfire.
“Fires can occur at anytime and we all need to be ready to act.”
