By Justin Flynn
Bellarine Peninsula residents have been warned that the bushfire season could last well into March.
Ocean Grove CFA 1st lieutenant Adam Wakling said local residents are not immune to experiencing similar devastation to bushfires that have engulfed large parts of Victoria and NSW.
Mr Wakling urged local residents to clean up their homes.
“For us sometimes there’s a lot of complacency in getting ready thinking ‘this will never happen to us’ but it can,” he said.
“We have a lot of bush and grassland that is very dry here. Anglesea, the Otways, the Brisbane Ranges, it’s high risk and it worries us a little bit.
“We urge everyone to have their plans. Clean up their houses.”
Ocean Grove CFA has deployed 14 volunteer members to bushfire areas such as Mt Mercer, Heywood and Swifts Creek.
In a chilling warning, Mr Wakling said the fire season would likely run well into March this year.
“I think the hottest eight weeks of the year are still to come,” he said.
“We know for a fact it will run right into March before it starts to slow down.
“It’s going to be long. We are probably going to be fighting fires into March. It’s dry.”
Despite the tragedy surrounding the current bushfire crisis, Mr Wakling said Ocean Grove CFA was well equipped to offer help while still being able to protect the town.
“It’s a big commitment from around here and we are still maintaining our coverage here as well and looking after the town,” he said.
“There are a lot of good people out there who do a lot of good things, but everyone needs to have a fire plan. Have your plan and get the Emergency Vic app. It’s the source of all warnings. If you want to know what’s going, this is the source.
“If a house is overgrown and full of rubbish, we won’t go in there. We are not going to put our lives at risk.”
