Geelong and Bellarine emergency services are preparing for another band of warm weather following recent statewide fire outbreaks.
It has been a busy week for the region’s firefighters after extremely hot and windy conditions on 9 January resulted in fires breaking out across the state.
On top of battling fires in Leopold and Avalon, many of Geelong’s firefighters were deployed to fires in locations such as Carlisle River, Mount Mercer and Tallangatta.
CFA District 7 commander Gavin Fitzgerald said the Mount Mercer fire, which was officially contained and brought under control on 13 January, ended up being 2245 hectares in size.
“In Mount Mercer, we were dealing with eight to ten kilometre forward rate spread in the fire and up to four or five metre flame heights,” he said.
“To put it in perspective, eight to 10 kilometres an hour means that it’s going 800 metres to a kilometre in six minutes, which is a very fast grass fire.
“It was driven in the south-easterly direction, but then we had a wind change at approximately 4 pm, which pushed the fire northeast towards Meredith Township.”
Mr Fitzgerald said the CFA was currently in “recovery mode” to allow its members to rest, but warned the community that the fire danger period was not over yet.
“We’re in a period now where things have calmed down and, while we’re still sending people away, it’s an opportunity to take a step back and manage our fatigue,” he said.
“Just be mindful that it’s not over; it’s going to be a long summer, and we’ve still got some extreme weather coming.
“We’re starting to plan for and gear up for another extreme band of weather, which is pushing hot wind from Western Australia down into South Australia and Victoria next week.
“We’ll have temperatures in the mid-30s again…and there’s a level of concern about the fires that aren’t contained, and the fact that those fires would grow or spread is a real possibility.”
Premier Jacinta Allan announced on 13 January a new $15 million recovery package to help keep communities safe and support residents during the clean-up process following the fires.
“These fires have devastated communities right across Victoria,” she said.
“That’s why we’re stepping in with more support to make recovery just that little bit easier for people who have lost so much.
“Victorians always come together in times of crisis, and as recovery work continues, our government will keep delivering the help communities need.
“By covering all landfill and waste disposal costs (in eligible government areas), we’re removing another financial burden for families and property owners.”
The Emergency Recovery Hotline is available to help people navigate the fire recovery process on 1800 560 760.
