fire danger period finishes 22 march

The CFA have announced that this seasons Fire Danger Period will be cease at 1:00am on Monday 22nd March, 2010.

After this time a fire in the open will have to comply with the relevant local law, in the case of Yarra Ranges, the Open Air Burning Local Law 2007. If you'd like to find out what you can and can't burn and when you can burn off click here.

burning off, how to work out windspeed?

When the new open air burning local law came into effect a new provision was that no burning be undertaken when wind speeds are greater than 15kph.

But how do you tell?

I have found the easiest way is to check the Bureau of Meteorology’s website and look up the Dunn’s Hill weather station (see link) or for those in the southern reaches of the shire it’s worthwhile checking a local weather station located at Hancock’s Daffodil Farm in Menzies Creek (see link).

In Residential Bushland areas (most of the Dandenong Ranges) burning off for fire reduction purposes is allowed only on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 8am and 6pm. Fires must be extinguished no later than 6pm.

Other laws that apply to burning off in Residential Bushland, Urban and Rural zones across the Shire include:

No lighting fires on Sundays.
No lighting fires on Smog Alert Days.
No lighting fires on Total Fire Ban Days.
No lighting fires during the Declared Fire Danger Period without a permit.
Burning off is permitted for fuel reduction purposes only.
Never burn when the wind speed is more than 15km/h.
Fires must be supervised at all times by an adult.
Water supply from a hose or a container with at least 10 litres of water must be available at the site of the fire.
A fire must not cause nuisance through excessive smoke outside of a property boundary or create a hazard on a public highway.
Burning wet or green vegetation and other materials which produce excessive smoke is prohibited.

Don’t know if you live in a Residential Bushland, Urban or Rural zone? Then check the maps in the Shire’s guide to the Open Air Burning Local law, visit this link to find out more.

clean up for fire season - free green waste tipping

Residents can now take advantage of free green waste tipping across the Shire of Yarra Ranges. From the 10th October through to the 8th November residents can take their green waste to Coldstream, Healesville, Wesburn and Lysterfield Transfer Stations for no charge.

I encourage residents to take up the offer to make their properties free of fire fuels. Now is the time we should all be making a concerted effort to remove bark, leaves, twigs and dead undergrowth around our properties.

Over the weekend Selby CFA, along with environmentalists and local residents, raked up fire fuels and then burnt them along the weedier edges of the Selby Park. This is a follow on from the work the brigade has done along Nation Road. This project is being considered as a pilot for other appropriate sites in the shire. It is a great example of agencies, environmentalists and residents working together to make communities more fire safe.

Like many Shire reserves, Selby Park contains some very significant flora and high conservation areas, these areas were carefully raked to remove fire fuels without compromising the environmental values of the site. Here myself, the CFA, Shire and local environmental expert, Darcy Duggan, discuss the level of fire fuel required to be cleared to achieve a reduced fire load without compromising the environment.

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It was a great example of agencies working together to achieve a positive outcome for our community.

end of cfa declared fire danger period

The CFA Declared Fire Danger Period is due to end from 1am on Monday, 20 April, 2009.

Burning off is only for the purposes of fire fuel reduction and should not be used as a way to dispose of green waste, garden cuttings or grass clippings.

Remember the Shire of Yarra Ranges has changed the rules in relation to burning off, if you live in a residential bushland area you can:

Residential Bushland areas
Residents can burn off four days per week including Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8am to 6pm, with the following exceptions:
No burning in June and July
No burning on a Sunday, Tuesday or Wednesday
No burning on a CFA declared Total Fire Ban Day
No burning during the Declared Fire Danger period, including the use of incinerators, without a permit (each year the CFA declares the time frame for this period and displays signs to advise when it starts and finishes)
No burning on EPA declared Smog Alert Days.

If you’re not sure what burning off regulations apply where you live call 1300 368 333.

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I have always supported the right of residents in the Dandenong Ranges to manage fire fuel on their properties. There are a whole suite of ways residents can deal with their fire fuel, although this summer the build up of fire fuel over summer was so great that I felt it necessary to call for a review of our green waste services as it clearly wasn’t keeping up, I was also keen to ensure council supported free green waste disposal at tips and transfer stations to help residents manage their fire fuel.

How to Burn
Fire should be a maximum of 1 metre high and 1 metre wide with a 3 metre clearance area above and around the fire.
Make sure the material you are burning is dry – burning wet or green vegetation produces excessive smoke and is prohibited under the local law.
All burning should take place no less than 10 metres from buildings and other structures.
Do not leave fires unattended.
Ensure there is a minimum of 10 litres of water nearby, a hose for covering all areas to be burned and hand tools for clearing.
Do not burn on nature strips or road reserves.
When burning consider your neighbours. Ensure that smoke is directed away from homes and washing.
Damage and expense caused by escaping fire is the responsibility of the person who lit the fire.
Do not burn if the wind speed is more than 15km/h.

smoke free fires are possible...

The fire danger period ceased on the 16th of April and already people are out there burning all manner of materials under the banner of "fire fuel reduction". Today when I was out and about I saw one neighbour who had a great fire, roaring, dry materials, no smoke at all. A little further along another neighbour burning green and/or wet materials creating a smoke catastrophe.

can I urge all residents who feel compelled to burn off to please learn how to build a "good" fire

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if you don't know the rules about when to burn contact the Shire (1300 368 333)

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only burn for fuel reduction consider burning off alternatives such as mulch, compost, greenwaste collections or a trip to the tip

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put fires out by the end of burning time, don't leave them alight or smouldering overnight

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don't burn green or wet vegetation

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build smoke free fires

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For Health Sake burn a SMOKE FREE FIRE!

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If there's SMOKE build a better FIRE!

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