Don’t let your campfire become a bushfire

FOREST Fire Management Victoria has launched a campaign to remind campers in the Otway region to follow the rules when it comes to campfire safety.

Assistant chief fire officer Andrew Morrow said the agency wanted to dramatically reduce the number of fires caused by neglected campfires, so their message to campers was “don’t let your campfire become a bushfire this summer”.

“We want people to get out there and enjoy themselves but make campfire safety a priority for your trip by knowing what you can and can’t do.

“In the Otway region, we have responded to 28 fires caused by campfire negligence in the past two years. This is placing the community and firefighters at risk, as well as potentially damaging the environment and affecting industry and recreational users of our public land.

“It takes a lot of time, effort and personnel to respond to a fire, so when campfires escape and could have been prevented by following the rules, it’s very frustrating.

“Before you head out, make sure you plan ahead and check the long range weather forecast. If in doubt on a hot day, don’t light your campfire.

“We are asking people to be vigilant about campfire safety and if they see a campfire that doesn’t look right or is unattended, then to call Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000.

He said it was everyone’s responsibility to ensure they follow the campfire safety rules:

• Use a purpose-built fireplace where provided, otherwise light your campfire in a trench at least 30cm deep – ensure the trench is no larger than 1 square metre in size and the area around the trench is cleared of flammable material up to three metres in all directions, including above the campfire
• Branches and logs on your campfire must be less than one metre long – keep your fire just big enough for warmth and cooking
• Never leave a campfire alight or unattended – you must maintain a 50 metre line of sight of the campfire at all times
• An adult must be present at all times when the campfire is alight, and
• Ensure your campfire is completely extinguished using water not soil.