The fire season has been delayed due to weeks of heavy rainfall and flooding.
But high fuel loads and warmer weather are on the horizon and CFA has reminded Victorians to tidy up their properties to prepare for the increasing fire risk.
Firefighters don’t expect to see the extreme fires of three years ago due to the La Niña weather pattern and widespread rainfall, however communities should not become complacent.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said CFA was asking all Victorians to do their part by preparing their properties and fire plans.
“There are so many simple actions Victorians can take and repeat to keep their property safe from bush or grassfires, Mr Heffernan said.
“Most of them are basic chores such as clearing your gutters, picking up loose leaves and twigs, pruning tree branches so they aren’t overhanging the roof or touching the walls of your property, or even just keeping your lawn under 10cm tall.
“We know most of the state has experienced normal-to-above-normal rainfall, which will lead to increased vegetation growth, so it’s important to keep maintaining your property into summer.
“It only takes one bad day to have a bad fire season so we need to stay vigilant this spring and summer.”
This is also a timely reminder for families to sit down and make a bushfire survival plan together.
“Your plan should include things like which fire danger rating will be your trigger to leave, where you will go, and what route you will take — and it should always consider different scenarios and back-up plans,” Mr Heffernan said.
As of September 1, the new fire danger rating system has changed and is now nationally consistent across every state and territory.
The system reduces the number of fire danger levels from six in the previous system, to four — moderate, high, extreme and catastrophic.
Victorians can learn more about these fire danger rating system changes on the CFA website, where they can also find more information about how to make a bushfire survival plan.