Fire restrictions have eased in most parts of the state, bringing the opportunity for landholders and government bodies to complete planned burns during coming weeks.

Forest Fire Management Victoria, FFMVic, chief fire officer Chris Hardman said with favourable weather and forest conditions, all available resources were dedicated to planned burning.

“Planned burning on public land is one of the tools FFMVic uses to keep Victoria safer from bushfires,” he said.

“While we burn to the conditions not the calendar, autumn generally gives our crews more opportunities to conduct planned burns as the weather is more stable and fire behaviour is manageable and generally predictable,” he said.

“Reducing fine fuels such as grass, leaves, bark, shrubs and fallen branches means fires are less intense and slower to spread, making it more likely that firefighters can keep bushfires small and contained before they pose a risk to communities.”

Country Fire Authority chief officer Jason Heffernan is urging Victorians to research and understand permit requirements before conducting private burn-offs.

“While the fire danger period has ended in a few areas, it remains in place across the majority of Victoria,” he said.

“It’s your responsibility to know what restrictions are in place, so if you are in doubt, you can find out what you can and cannot do during a fire danger period by referring to the ‘Can I or Can’t I?’ page of the CFA website.

“We have seen a number of private burns escape over recent weeks, so if you do intend to conduct a planned burn you will need to apply for a permit and ensure that all burning activities comply with the permit prescriptions and requirements.”

While current conditions are ideal for burning, weather patterns might cause smoke to linger across parts of the state overnight and through to early morning.

Residents can register for planned burning updates at www.plannedburns.ffm.vic.gov.au. 

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