General News
2 January, 2024
Unattended campfires one of the biggest threats
Parks Victoria and the Country Fire Authority (CFA) are urging campers to be vigilant of the dangers of campfires during summer, with a number of local brigades responding to unattended camp-fires in the last six months. With around 10 percent of...
Parks Victoria and the Country Fire Authority (CFA) are urging campers to be vigilant of the dangers of campfires during summer, with a number of local brigades responding to unattended camp-fires in the last six months.
With around 10 percent of bushfires caused by campfire negligence each year, Parks Victoria manager enforcement operations Chris Mercier said responsibility and while camping would ensure the safety of more than 85,000 campers this season.
“We want people to explore and enjoy Victoria’s great outdoors, but unsafe campfires can have devastating consequences,” he said.
“Don’t be that person that leaves a campfire unattended, placing people and parks at risk.”
Campfires should follow the designated rules of the accom-panying campsite and always need to be supervised by an adult.
It is only safe to leave a campfire unoccupied if the coals are cool to touch.
CFA Goldfields Group Officer Peter Higgins said he is alarmed by the occurrence of unattended camp-fires.
“Almost all of the fire brigades in the Central Goldfields region have had to deal with an unattended campfire in the last six months,” he said.
“These fires are completely avoidable and can destroy people’s lives and homes if conditions don’t go in our favour.
“You have to have a permit and follow those guidelines to light any fire during the Fire Danger Period.
“We urge campers to always be prepared and pack the essentials when camping, download the VicEmergency app and always know what the Fire Danger Rating is in your area.”
People who breach campfire regulations on public land face on-the-spot fines of $577 or a maximum penalty of $19,231 if the matter is prosecuted in court. The maximum penalty for lighting or maintaining a fire during a Total Fire Ban is $46,154 and a possible two years in jail.
Parks Victoria advise the following when making a campfire:
• Use a purpose-built fireplace if available, otherwise dig a trench at lease 30 centimetres deep
• Always follow the designated rules of your campsite — in national parks, fires can only be lit in purpose-built fireplaces unless otherwise marked
• The campfire must not exceed one square metre, and three metres above and around your fire must be clear of flammable material
• Branches and logs on your campfire must be no longer than one metre
• An adult must stay within a 50-metre line of sight of the campfire at all times
• Campfires must be extinguished with at least 10 litres or several buckets of water each time the campers leave the site.
Unattended campfires can be reported to Parks Victoria on 13 19 63 or the Conservation Regulator on 136 186. Call Triple Zero (000) to report a bushfire.
Download the VicEmergency app for real-time updates about emergencies across Victoria or visit www.emergency.vic.gov.au and to check local fire danger ratings, visit emergency.vic.gov.au/prepare/#fire/fire-danger-ratings.