Media Releases
RECORD FUEL BREAKS TO PROTECT WATER SUPPLY FROM FIRES
From the Premier
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Fire authorities are undertaking record fuel breaks around key water catchments to protect Melbourne’s water supply from the bushfire threat this season.
Crews are creating over 500 kilometres of fuel breaks around forested water supply catchments with 420kms completed so far and a further 80kms currently being built.
The fuel breaks build on an unprecedented statewide fuel reduction effort of almost 20,000 hectares in the past four months as part of the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s (DSE) spring burning program, bringing to more than 400,000 hectares the fuel reduction burns completed on public land in the past three years.
This season, a second helicopter will be dedicated to protecting Melbourne’s water supply catchments, joining an aerial firefighting fleet, which includes Australia’s first trial of a large waterbombing plane, skycranes Elvis and Elsie and 32 aircraft, with a further 170 aircraft on standby for a bushfire emergency.
The Premier John Brumby and Water Minister Tim Holding today inspected new fuel breaks and fire preparation works in the Thomson and Upper Yarra catchments, which supply the majority of Melbourne’s water.
Mr Brumby said fire authorities and Melbourne Water were preparing to protect the 160,000 hectares of forested water supply catchments to safeguard water supply in event of bushfires.
“There has never been a greater effort to make our state as fire-safe and as fire-ready as possible,” Mr Brumby said.
“Our Government and emergency service agencies are rolling out unprecedented new resources and measures for the largest-ever firefighting effort. This is being backed by record funding for our emergency services.
“Protecting water supply for Victorian families following bushfires is a key part of the fire preparation effort. There are more than 100 Melbourne Water firefighters primarily dedicated to safeguarding the catchments through regular patrols and a first-attack response to fires with back-up support from the DSE and CFA who are on standby.
“This year, crews will have an additional helicopter to help to detect fires with four fire towers strategically situated in the catchments to help locate fires when they start, and 40 water tanks are located at key sites in the catchments to provide easy access to water for fire fighting.”
Mr Holding said new fire breaks played a key role in preventing the tragic February bushfires from advancing further into catchments and would be equally important this bushfire season.
“Bushfires are a serious threat to the quality and yield of water in the catchments and authorities commit a lot of time and resources to making sure we’re in the best possible position each season,” Mr Holding said.
“The DSE has boosted the amount of fuelbreaks around the catchments, including the Upper Yarra and Thomson which were successfully protected from the bushfires in February this year.
“Crews have so far built over 420kms of new fuel breaks around the catchments and are currently completing a further 80kms as part of a four-year program.
“The February bushfires burned through much of the O’Shannassy, Tarago and Maroondah catchments, some of our smallest storages. While they are recovering well, these areas are less of a fire risk than Upper Yarra and Thomson this year.
“In addition to the second helicopter, a 1400-litre water bombing helicopter, Helitack 345, is again on standby and is designated to protecting the catchments. Other equipment includes slip-on units, tankers and bulldozers.
“Melbourne Water has allocated resources to Upper Yarra and Thomson because they hold the majority of the city’s water supply and are critical assets.”
The Victorian Government and its fire agencies are rolling out unprecedented new fire preparation measures across Victoria, which include:
• A new national fire danger rating system, with a new category for Code Red (Catastrophic) to warn communities of the risk of fires that are unpredictable, uncontrollable and fast moving;
• Warnings to be delivered to fixed and mobile phones (based on a billing address) through a new National Emergency Warning System (NEWS);
• A Standard Emergency Warning Signal that will interrupt media broadcasts before potentially life threatening fires;
• New procedures for schools and children’s services on Code Red (catastrophic) days;
• A new ‘10/30 right’ which allows landowners to clear vegetation on their own property with 10 metres of a house and ground fuel within 30 metres of a house without a permit;
• Upgrades to 43 Level 3 incident control centres across Victoria with the newest technologies;
• A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with about 30 of the state’s commercial radio broadcasters to become official emergency broadcasters which covers stations in Melbourne and regional Victoria as well as an agreement with Sky News television; and
• Significant additional resources for the fire preparation and firefighting effort, including the first-ever dedicated statewide Fire Action Week.
Crews are creating over 500 kilometres of fuel breaks around forested water supply catchments with 420kms completed so far and a further 80kms currently being built.
The fuel breaks build on an unprecedented statewide fuel reduction effort of almost 20,000 hectares in the past four months as part of the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s (DSE) spring burning program, bringing to more than 400,000 hectares the fuel reduction burns completed on public land in the past three years.
This season, a second helicopter will be dedicated to protecting Melbourne’s water supply catchments, joining an aerial firefighting fleet, which includes Australia’s first trial of a large waterbombing plane, skycranes Elvis and Elsie and 32 aircraft, with a further 170 aircraft on standby for a bushfire emergency.
The Premier John Brumby and Water Minister Tim Holding today inspected new fuel breaks and fire preparation works in the Thomson and Upper Yarra catchments, which supply the majority of Melbourne’s water.
Mr Brumby said fire authorities and Melbourne Water were preparing to protect the 160,000 hectares of forested water supply catchments to safeguard water supply in event of bushfires.
“There has never been a greater effort to make our state as fire-safe and as fire-ready as possible,” Mr Brumby said.
“Our Government and emergency service agencies are rolling out unprecedented new resources and measures for the largest-ever firefighting effort. This is being backed by record funding for our emergency services.
“Protecting water supply for Victorian families following bushfires is a key part of the fire preparation effort. There are more than 100 Melbourne Water firefighters primarily dedicated to safeguarding the catchments through regular patrols and a first-attack response to fires with back-up support from the DSE and CFA who are on standby.
“This year, crews will have an additional helicopter to help to detect fires with four fire towers strategically situated in the catchments to help locate fires when they start, and 40 water tanks are located at key sites in the catchments to provide easy access to water for fire fighting.”
Mr Holding said new fire breaks played a key role in preventing the tragic February bushfires from advancing further into catchments and would be equally important this bushfire season.
“Bushfires are a serious threat to the quality and yield of water in the catchments and authorities commit a lot of time and resources to making sure we’re in the best possible position each season,” Mr Holding said.
“The DSE has boosted the amount of fuelbreaks around the catchments, including the Upper Yarra and Thomson which were successfully protected from the bushfires in February this year.
“Crews have so far built over 420kms of new fuel breaks around the catchments and are currently completing a further 80kms as part of a four-year program.
“The February bushfires burned through much of the O’Shannassy, Tarago and Maroondah catchments, some of our smallest storages. While they are recovering well, these areas are less of a fire risk than Upper Yarra and Thomson this year.
“In addition to the second helicopter, a 1400-litre water bombing helicopter, Helitack 345, is again on standby and is designated to protecting the catchments. Other equipment includes slip-on units, tankers and bulldozers.
“Melbourne Water has allocated resources to Upper Yarra and Thomson because they hold the majority of the city’s water supply and are critical assets.”
The Victorian Government and its fire agencies are rolling out unprecedented new fire preparation measures across Victoria, which include:
• A new national fire danger rating system, with a new category for Code Red (Catastrophic) to warn communities of the risk of fires that are unpredictable, uncontrollable and fast moving;
• Warnings to be delivered to fixed and mobile phones (based on a billing address) through a new National Emergency Warning System (NEWS);
• A Standard Emergency Warning Signal that will interrupt media broadcasts before potentially life threatening fires;
• New procedures for schools and children’s services on Code Red (catastrophic) days;
• A new ‘10/30 right’ which allows landowners to clear vegetation on their own property with 10 metres of a house and ground fuel within 30 metres of a house without a permit;
• Upgrades to 43 Level 3 incident control centres across Victoria with the newest technologies;
• A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with about 30 of the state’s commercial radio broadcasters to become official emergency broadcasters which covers stations in Melbourne and regional Victoria as well as an agreement with Sky News television; and
• Significant additional resources for the fire preparation and firefighting effort, including the first-ever dedicated statewide Fire Action Week.
