General News
9 June, 2026
Proposal to change weather district boundaries raises CFA, farmer concerns
Victorians will soon notice redesigned Fire Weather Districts (FWD) with the CFA proposing new boundaries in line with climate change and advances in determining weather conditions.
The CFA, Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and other government agencies are currently changing the boundaries that determine Fire Danger Ratings, Total Fire Bans and Fire Danger Periods.
The current boundaries have been in place since October 2010, established as a result of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, aligning fire districts with the BOM’s forecast areas and the state’s local government borders.
However, during the recent review of the current borders, the CFA have stated the current FWDs will be changing to accommodate for advancements in digital weather modelling, rapid population shifts and climate change with the present boundaries being ‘too large and outdated’.
Currently in the ‘Final Approval’ stage, the proposal will see the number of districts increase from nine to 14. These new boundaries have been drawn with the use of primary geographic data to decide fire danger information by region.
But CFA Goldfields Group members are concerned the districts have still been drawn far too wide.
The proposed new area encompassing the Central Goldfields, titled ‘Area 6’, will stretch from Moliagal to as far south as Lake Bolac.
CFA Goldfields Group Officer Peter Higgins argues the region stretches too far, with conditions varying too greatly to the Central Goldfields going by rainfall, temperature, grass curing and terrain.
He said the Central Goldfields belong with Area 5, a northen district encompassing Bendigo and Echuca.
“I think we should be aligned with [Area 5]. The proposed changes will not suit local conditions, they go as far north as Bealiba and south of Ballarat,” he said.
“I know it’s still a proposal at this stage, but I am certainly against it. We might have hot conditions where Ballarat may not be as bad or as windy.
“We need information that is localised ... we are totally in the wrong area. It needs to be reconsidered. We don’t need to be anywhere past Clunes. So we are pushing back strongly on that.”
Citing weather and vegetation north and south of the Great Dividing Range, Mr Higgins said it is unclear how a Fire Danger Rating can be determined for such a broad region.
“It’s not going to give a true indication of what the fire indices are dictating for here. [The Goldfields Group] totally disagree with it,” he said.
“Curing rates alone are an indication that us being with the southern districts puts us in the totally wrong area. We are protesting strongly about it, because we don’t think we should be there.”
Talbot brigade’s Captain Ross Andrews said the decision has come with little consultation.
“Consultation has been ordinary and we are pushing back strongly ... it’s totally disagreeable ... it puts us in a vulnerable area. South of the Great Dividing Range will get more moisture than north ... from Bealiba to Talbot, there is already a fair difference there,” he said.
Mr Andrews has submitted an objection to the CFA against the proposal.
“There have been some years where, yes, [Bealiba] has had a lot more rain than Talbot. But traditionally, they are even a lot drier than we are,” he said.
“I am disappointed, on a personal level, once again local knowledge has been disregarded or glossed over.”
Bealiba farmer and CFA volunteer Tony Mortlock said FWD ratings dictate if landowners are able to use farming machinery during certain conditions, such as during Fire Danger Periods.
He said weather and vegetation conditions as far south as Beaufort or Lake Bolac differ too greatly and do not align with hotter, drier conditions in Bealiba, posing confusion among himself and other farmers on how ratings will be determined for farmers.
“When the shire mows the grass, they normally do the northern end first. That’s because everything dries out north first,” he said.
“Even at the moment [Central Goldfields] are in North Central district. Across the Avoca river is the Wimmera, and we often get a Total Fire Ban here and not across the river, this district is a footy kick away. I do get they have to have a line in the sand somewhere, but as a volunteer or farmer, it will be very confusing.”
Mr Mortlock has also written an objection to the new boundaries on behalf of Bealiba CFA, also believing the Central Goldfields belong with Area 5.
“We should be going north ... it doesn’t make sense to me,” he said.
“They are saying it is to notify community more and so they are in touch with weather ratings more ... but there has been no consultation with farmers or farming groups .. they are pretty adamant they need more districts to educate the community about the ratings.
“I say farming groups are over it but everyone in the community wears a similar hat. It’s a farmer who will generally jump on a fire truck out here.”
Finalised districts are expected to be released in time for the 2027-28 fire season.