As the weather heats up, so too does the risk of bushfires.
On Wednesday, November 22, at 3.04pm, the CFA alarm rang out across Benalla, a wail that will most likely be the soundtrack to the summer.
Nine vehicles responded to the grass fire on Kelleher Rd, Tarnook, to “black out” the fire, extinguishing the blaze so there was little chance of it restarting.
Deputy group officer Charlie Sexton attended the fire as part of the Benalla CFA.
He said the quick response time meant any danger was averted.
“There was a report of a grass fire, and we sent fire trucks and appliances to extinguish that fire,” Mr Sexton said.
“There was a call early, and the wind at the time was elevated.
“So, they wanted to make sure they captured it (the fire) quickly.”
The large number of trucks ensured there was enough water to control the fire, which had spread over more than two hectares by the time it was put out.
Mr Sexton said the fire was sparked by a slasher hitting a rock in the paddock, a common occurrence as landowners prepared for the fire danger period.
“Everybody in Victoria is slashing at the moment,” he said.
“People are trying to protect their properties, and we just need people to be mindful of the situation around them.
“It’s not just farmers (who should be preparing).
“It’s people that live on small acreage, but it’s also people travelling through on camping holidays. They need to be mindful of this.
“Keeping up to date with the fire danger rating for the day (is important).
“Keep an eye on the weather, especially windy days. Wind really is a key driver for fire development.
“That fire, on Wednesday, November 22, had some wind at the start of the fire, which made it grow quickly, and then the wind dropped off, and then it almost just started trickling, so it was okay.
“But those key days where we’ve got winds, heat and an ignition means that fire is going to travel through the environment.
“There is plenty of fuel out there, lots and lots of grass.”
On Monday, November 27, at 1am, the fire danger period starts.
The period deliberately coincides with a time when grasses are drying off, especially in the northern end of the Benalla region.
After a wet spring, Mr Sexton said there was an abundance of growth, and subsequently, people working around machinery needed to consider having fire suppression measures at the ready.
“It could be nine litres of water in an extinguisher or their own fire unit,” he said.
“If you haven’t started it (the extinguisher/fire unit) since last summer, you need to check that it’s all working.
“The other thing people need to be aware of is it’s going to be wet this week.
“That means that access to paddocks becomes more difficult for us.
“We’re in this funny situation where we could get bogged trying to travel to a grass fire.
“So, it could mean that we need to consider other ways of undertaking the firefight and doing it from roadways, which means there could be more fires that could get larger.”
The VicEmergency app is the first port of call for people who want to keep up to date this fire season.
People should set up a watch zone on the app so that they know when a fire has started, and they can then enact plans if they need to.
Having a fire plan that has been communicated with your friends and family is a must.
Enacting the fire plan at an early stage is important.
That could mean leaving your property before evacuation orders have been made.
Fuel such as grass, timber and bushes should be well managed or kept away from homes.
When conditions are turning for the worse, semi-packing a car, preparing to leave and having a home emergency kit ready can be the difference between being safe and not.
For more information, head to: https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/ or https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/