Forest Fire Management Victoria manages the 7.6 million hectares of parks and forests that we enjoy in Victoria.
As part of the team of Rangers and officers that look after these areas every day, Forest Fire Management Victoria have trained firefighters who respond to fires in these areas and also conduct planned burns. Often the CFA will also support planned burns with extra people and equipment.
Many planned burns are carried out as part of a program to reduce bushfire risk for communities. This can also be done by mowing, slashing and clearing areas, to make and maintain fuel breaks.
Other burns, called ecological burns, are done to maintain the health of native plants and animals.
When to burn
The most suitable weather for planned burning generally occurs in autumn or spring. The days are not too hot and the nights are cool and slightly damp. The weather is stable – calm and mild for several days in a row.
A decision to burn will only be approved if the weather is expected to stay calm and mild for at least a few days, as most burns take one or two days to complete.
While conditions on one day may appear suitable for a burn, hot and windy weather over the next few days could cause smouldering trees or logs to flare up and become a fire.
Some burns cover very large areas, so fire crews may need one to two weeks of stable weather to set up, light and patrol these burns safely.
Before the burn
Before a planned burn can go ahead, our most experienced fire officers collect detailed information about the burn and the area. This is called a burn plan. It includes the reason for the burn, the fire history of the area and any cultural sites or habitat that needs to be protected from the fire.
Information about when the burn is planned will be provided to the communities nearby - you'll likely see;
- notices at the burn site
- fliers in shops, information centres and public places in towns
- information in the local newspaper and on the radio
- a letter drop – if you live very close to the burn area
In the days leading up to a burn, trained firefighters finalise the burn preparation works. These works may include;
- raking around trees to protect wildlife habitat,
- removing hazardous trees to make the area safer for crews,
- grading roads and tracks to improve access
- and clearing the control lines that form the outside edge of the burn.
Then, the officer in charge of the burn;
- makes sure that the correct approvals are in place
- monitors forecast weather conditions
- and carries out safety checks
Because some conditions can change quickly, the final decision to go ahead is made on the morning of the proposed burn. Before the fire can be lit, the officer in charge checks the weather, wind, fuel moisture and other conditions. These are described more here.
If any of these are unsuitable, the burn will be postponed.
If everything is suitable, authorisation is requested and the community is notified that the burn will go ahead. If traffic control is necessary, signs are put in place on local roads and tracks.
Firefighters will then light the burn according to a specific pattern. This is for both safety and to achieve the right level of coverage – e.g. a burn to protect a town is expected to reduce fuel across 90% of the burn area. Because this is a controlled process, lighting may take three to four hours for a small burn or two or more days for a very large burn.
After the burn
After a burn, firefighters monitor and patrol the area for several days. They make sure the planned burn area is safe by extinguishing or removing anything still smouldering within the burn area. Once the area has been thoroughly checked, the burn is declared safe.
If a burn escapes
Lighting any fire in a park or forest holds some risk - but good planning, reliable weather information, skilled firefighters managing the burn and well established back-up plans all help to minimise this risk.
Unfortunately, there are times when unexpected changes in conditions can lead to burns escaping. If this happens, the firefighters managing the burn respond quickly to contain it and keep the community informed.
We will always investigate how and why any escape occured.
For more information on Victoria’s planned burning program, please visit Forest Fire Management Victoria, register to receive an email or SMS notification or call the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
