By PAUL MILLAR
AN OUTBREAK of fires north of Geelong this week has prompted a CFA warning for land owners to be on red alert for a long, hot summer.
Duty officer Mark Sinkinson said above-average temperatures and an abundance of fire fuel had created a volatile mix.
“People often think of the Otways and Lorne when they think of bushfires but there are many homes in areas like Leopold, Lara and Drysdale that back onto open properties,” he told the Independent.
“They need to be alert to what’s around them.”
Mr Sinkinson said residents of local semi-rural properties were in a high-risk environment and needed fire plans in place.
“Leaving early is the best option for you and your family, sometimes you need to only walk a block away to be safe.
“Don’t rely on official warnings, leave early and remember that emergency services could be stretched to the limits.”
A wheat crop fire at Little River and a number of smaller paddock blazes around Lara this week underscored the CFA warning.
Mr Sinkinson also warned holidaymakers to ensure their barbecues were safe.
“People can be complacent with barbecues. They need to be three metres away from any flammable material – and that’s any kind of barbecue.”
Caravan owners should check their smoke alarms and extinguishers because fires quickly spread in vans, Mr Sinkinson warned.
The CFA also highlighted household electrical fires as a major problem over the festive season, with crews already called to douse flames from a burning Christmas tree in a Geelong home.
Mr Sinkinson said electrical faults were one of the top three causes of house fires each year, so the CFA was encouraging families to take care with Christmas trees and fairy lights in particular.
“If you do have lights on your Christmas tree make sure they’re on for a limited time and make sure you turn them off before you go to bed.”
