Bushfires
Find information here on what to do before, during and after a fire, places of last resort and more.
Before a bushfire
Before a bushfire or grassfire:
- Attend a CFA Fire Preparation meeting or Bushfire Planning workshop.
- Understand your fire risk: bushfire, grassfire, hilly, in town?
- Write a Bushfire Survival Plan.
- Leave early or decide if and who will stay and actively defend your property.
- Plan for those most at risk: children, frail elderly, those with special needs.
- Prepare your property and have an emergency kit ready.
The following documents may be useful in preparing your bushfire plan:
Fire Prevention
Landowners and occupiers are responsible for fire prevention on their properties, and there are steps you can take now to prepare your home for the summer fire season each year and give it the best chance of surviving a bushfire.
Fire hazard inspections are conducted across the Shire by the Municipal Fire Prevention Officer every year throughout leading up to to and throughout the fire season. If you have received a fire prevention notice, your property has been identified as a fire hazard and you will be required to clean up your property by the completion date on the notice. Non-compliance with directions will result in work being carried out by Council at the expense of the owners.
Bushfire Place of Last Resort
Bushfire Place of Last Resort (BPLR) is not a community fire refuge or emergency relief centre. BPLRs are places of last resort during the passage of a bushfire, and are intended to be used only when your primary bushfire survival plan has failed.
BPLRs do not guarantee the survival of those who assemble there. There may also be serious risks to safety encountered in travelling to BPLRs during a bushfire and there may be no services or facilities and some sites offer minimum protection from radiant heat and embers.
Depending on the position and direction of a bushfire, a designated BPLR may not be safer than other locations within the area.
We have designated several sites across the shire as BPLRs, but not all our towns have one.
We encourage every resident to have a Bushfire Survival Plan and to practice it. If you live in a high-risk area, plan to leave the night before on days of catastrophic fire danger. On days of severe or extreme fire danger, plan to leave early in the morning and plan ahead about where you can go.
Do not go to an BPLR if you are leaving the area early during a bushfire emergency. More information on BPLRs can be found on the CFA website.
BPLR locations:
- Dartmouth - Dartmouth Hotel, Murtagh Place.
- Corryong - Attree Park, Cnr Hanson and Jardine St.
- Tallangatta - Triangles, Towong St, parkland opposite central shopping area
- Eskdale - Eskdale Sports Complex, 3645 Omeo Hwy
- Cudgewa - Cudgewa Community Building, Cudgewa Valley Rd
Fire plugs
Fire plugs are essential for fighting fires. They sit on the water main and are accessed by the CFA in the event of a fire. The plugs are generally located on people's nature strips, with little blue cat's eyes on the road and marker poles to help point fire fighters to where the plugs are.
Residents are not to obscure fire plugs or plant bushes, shrubs or trees that make the location of fire plugs difficult to find or access.
Why not have a look around and see where the fire plug that protects your property is located?
If you would like further information on fire plugs and their locations, or wish to lodge a maintenance report, please contact us.
Stand pipes
A number of stand pipes located throughout the Shire to provide water for stock during times of drought.
The water from these stand pipes is NOT suitable for human consumption.
North East Water also has stand pipes throughout the Shire and you can find out more on its website.
After a bushfire
- Check information updates
- Keep wearing protective clothing
- Keep checking for embers after the fire front as passed
- Take care around trees, branches and trees can fall without warning.
- Visit the VicEmergency website for relief and recovery information.
You can find more information by phoning the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
