General News
10 June, 2024
Caution urged as heaters, dryers more likely to spark a blaze during winter
While seasonal weather outlooks show no increased risk of bushfires across central Victoria this winter, local fire brigades are urging residents to remain vigilant towards the threat of fire. As cold days and warm blankets have become the norm once...
While seasonal weather outlooks show no increased risk of bushfires across central Victoria this winter, local fire brigades are urging residents to remain vigilant towards the threat of fire.
As cold days and warm blankets have become the norm once again, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) seasonal forecast anticipates warmer temperatures this winter.
BoM long-range forecast predictions state June to August temperatures are very likely to be above average across Australia, as Central Goldfields residents should expect maximums between 12 and 15 degrees celsius and minimums to be around 3 to 6°C.
The forecast also notes unusually high maximum temperatures (meaning winter days in the warmest 20 percent between 1981 and 2008) are four times more likely across Victoria.
Rainfall outlooks point to a more typical winter this year, with BoM suggesting an above 90 percent chance of at least 100 millimetres of rainfall in central Victoria.
Despite the drier conditions, the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) seasonal bushfire outlook states that “a normal fire season is expected for Victoria this winter”.
While current conditions might not affect bushfires from now to September, it could potentially lead to a longer fire danger season this summer according to Carisbrook Fire Brigade Captain Ian Boucher.
“If it is not as cold and wet as what we normally expect during winter, it does have a flow on effect onto summer — the grass cures quickly and the bushland really dries out if it doesn’t get the rainfall that it needs,” he said.
“If the predicted outlook happens, we would expect the next bushfire season to start a bit earlier than normal.
“Most times over winter we prepare for summer, we do hose testing, maintenance works on the vehicles and our equipment to make sure that everything is ready for the summer period and for any call outs during the winter season.”
While there is no increased risk of bushfires, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) is reminding residents to safely use their heating systems and clothes dryers over the winter months.
The CFA responded to 87 house fires caused by heaters in 2023, with these incidents caused by mechanical issues, close proximity to flammable materials, or the heater being left on.
Mr Boucher said home fires caused by heaters and clothes dryers are entirely preventable.
“Over the last few years we have probably had three or four a year where we get called to structure fires or fires related to heaters and clothes dryers, they are a lot more prevalent than what they used to be,” he said.
“We usually suggest that if you put a load of washing through a clothes dryer to make sure you clean your lint filter out after every use.
“You have different forms of heating now with gas heaters, which need to be serviced every couple of years, and wood fire heaters cause a few chimney fires due to the flue not being cleaned out during the summer period.”
Mr Boucher encourages local residents to be prepared for a fire emergency, even during winter.
“Make sure that if you do have a fire anywhere that you don’t try and put it out yourself, just call Triple Zero because the sooner the fire brigade is on their way the more chance we have,” he said.
“If you need to get out of your house, make sure that you don’t go back in and have an evacuation plan that the whole family knows and have an operating smoke alarm in your house.”
