Implementation to reduce bushfire risk along Great Ocean Road

THE Victorian Government is investing $1.5 million to deliver actions that will reduce the risk of bushfires along the Great Ocean Road.

About 35 kilometres of new permanent Strategic Fuel Break as well as targeted hazardous tree removal will be completed near the coastal towns of Lorne, Aireys Inlet and Anglesea.

The new 40-metre-wide breaks will be build on existing tracks in the area which will effectively create a ring around towns where fire management activity can take place, including back-burning, planned burns, mulching and slashing.

Forest Fire Management Victoria is working in partnership with the Surf Coast Shire Council and private landowners whose properties the new breaks will go through to deliver the works.

One fuel break will be implemented near each town this year to provide the local community with an opportunity to see what they look like, with all works expected to be completed by early 2021.

Regional Roads Victoria will be conducting critical hazardous tree removal along 45 kilometres of road in the area, including between Torquay and Lorne and the Lorne-Deans Marsh Road. This will reduce the risk of falling limbs that can block roads and overall make the roads safer.

“This work will improve the safety of our fire crews and boost their ability to fight, contain or reduce the impacts of bushfires on the environment and local communities,” Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio said.

“With the safe window to conduct planned burning getting smaller, practical on-ground initiatives like this are vital to make sure we continue to reduce risk in what is a very bushfire prone landscape.”