General News
9 March, 2023
Dry conditions could lead to fire potential this autumn, experts warn communities
“Don’t start fires” is the simple advice of local firies, who are urging residents not to become complacent about the risk of fire — or forget the Fire Danger Period is still in place — as the weather begins to cool off. Drier than average...
“Don’t start fires” is the simple advice of local firies, who are urging residents not to become complacent about the risk of fire — or forget the Fire Danger Period is still in place — as the weather begins to cool off.
Drier than average conditions are predicted for Victoria this autumn, with a lack of rainfall coupled with warm and dry conditions creating bushfire potential according to the recently released Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Autumn.
A normal fire potential is predicted for the Central Goldfields and surrounds — however central and southern parts of the state are recording significant grass growth, with the potential risk of fast running grassfires continuing into autumn.
The outlook also forecasts below average rainfall in the north and west, along with average to warmer than average maximum temperatures.
Goldfields group of brigades group officer Peter Higgins said it can be easy to forget the danger of fire on weeks like this one.
“The problem we face is that when we get lower temperatures, like this week, people think ‘oh well summer is over, autumn’s here’, but if you look around the fuel load will run pretty fast if there’s a fire,” he said.
“Perhaps summer is over, but next Wednesday is 29 degrees here, so we need to be really careful and vigilant. Don’t burn-off.
“If we get significant rain we’ll look at pulling restrictions off, but more importantly issue permits to farmers to start their seasonal burns.”
The local area has already experienced a close call this year, with fire tearing through approximately 300 acres at Mount Glasgow/Dunach on February 4, coming within metres of homes.
It’s a lesson worth remembering as the weather cools, Mr Higgins said.
“If you have a look at when reasonably big fires have started, they’re not very hot days,” he said.
“Dunach was a fair old burn, and it wasn’t on a really hot day, it was just warm and windy.
“The weeds and tusks have gone crazy after the floods last year. The thing that caught us by surprise at that fire was that we had weeds two metres high, so we had flame heights of three to four metres.
“If fire gets into them, those weeds not only make it worse to spot fires but if it’s a windy day, it doesn’t matter if it’s colder, they go.”
Following the wettest Victorian spring on record in 2022 — and plenty of local flooding — the start of 2023 has seen that wet weather dry up significantly, adding to high fuel loads.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, a total 24.4 mm fell across three days in Maryborough during January, while February recorded a total 11 mm — a low compared to the month’s average of 31.7 mm.
The Bureau’s autumn outlook (March to May) for the Maryborough area shows average to low rainfall — the month’s historical median is 92.7 millimetres, with a 35 percent chance of an unusually dry autumn this year and 33 percent chance of above median.
There’s also a high chance (68 percent) that maximum temperatures will be above the median (21.5°).
“It’s still summer, and until I see water running down the highway, it’s still dry,” Mr Higgins said.
“You only have to look around your own property — those weed-type grasses are dry and will probably burn better than most.”
Mr Higgins said discussions are currently starting around issuing permits to farmers to conduct burn-offs, but reminded residents the Fire Danger Period (FDP) is still in place.
An end date of May 1 is currently scheduled for the FDP in Central Goldfields, Pyrenees, Mount Alexander, Hepburn and Loddon shires.
During the FDP, you cannot light a fire in the open air unless you have a permit or comply with certain requirements.
Burning off during the FDP requires a permit, and to notify ESTA.