Fire Action Week begins

Fire Action Week began last week, and the state government is using the annual planning and preparation period to urge Victorians to prepare early for the coming fire season.

Fire agencies have begun their preparations earlier this year, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting an above-normal fire season this summer and bushfires are already impacting the Gippsland region.

Fire Action Week, held this year from October 13-20 and run every year since 2009, is a time for households to increase their understanding of local fire risks, prepare their properties and plan how to stay safe.

The state government is investing a record $29.4 million in Victoria’s biggest ever firefighting aircraft fleet, providing a mix of water-bombing aircraft including fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

At the same time, the state government will roll out a range of initiatives from the Fire Services Statement to support firefighters this fire season.

A $60 million investment will deliver the training, equipment and facilities, and as recommended in the recent Legislative Council inquiry, CFA and MFB will also publish quarterly response times to improve transparency. The first set of data will be published in coming weeks.

Work will also begin on the transition to a single commissioner model for the MFB.

“Our firefighters do us proud every single day and are ready for another dangerous fire season but it is important that every Victorian does their part to ensure they stay safe – that’s what Fire Action Week is all about,” Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino said.

“We will continue investing in our firefighters to ensure they have the equipment, facilities and training they need to keep Victorians safe.”

Victorians can stay up-to-date with emergency warnings throughout the fire season by tuning into local radio and Sky News broadcasts, phoning the VicEmergency hotline 1800 226 226, heading to emergency.vic.gov.au, and downloading the VicEmergency App.