As summer temperatures climb across the region, Victoria Police have issued a blunt warning to residents and visitors around the region: “If you light it, you own it.”
With the memory of past bushfires still
etched into the landscape of East Gippsland, authorities are reminding the community that personal responsibility is the first line of defence this fire season.
Police are stressing that a fire started through reckless behaviour, whether it be a campfire left unattended or sparks from machinery on a property, can have the same devastating outcomes as a deliberately lit fire.
During the last bushfire season (year ending June 2025), there were 59 offences recorded across the state relating to causing a bushfire, with 23 of these attributed specifically to reckless behaviour.
Police have warned that anyone found guilty of recklessly or intentionally causing a bushfire faces a penalty of up to 15 years imprisonment.
For East Gippsland, a region heavily
reliant on agriculture and tourism, the risks are diverse.
Police highlighted several common causes of recklessly lit fires that locals and holidaymakers need to be vigilant about:
– Campfires: Leaving them unattended or failing to extinguish them properly (a major risk in camping hotspots like Lakes Entrance and the Croajingolong National Park).
– Machinery: Heat from car exhausts in long grass, or farming machinery such as slashers and harvesters used during high-risk periods.
– Tools: Use of angle grinders and welding equipment in the open.
– Non-compliance: Disobeying restrictions relating to Total Fire Bans or fire
danger periods.
– Burning off: Conducting burns when it is unsafe to do so.
To combat these risks, Victoria Police has activated Operation Safeguard.
This operation ensures police across East Gippsland are ready to respond to the threat of fire, involving specific deployment plans for periods of heightened risk.
However, authorities note that the community plays an incredibly important role.
Police are keen to speak to anyone who witnesses concerning behaviour in relation to fires, or anyone who has been told about such behaviour taking place.
Anyone who witnesses suspicious or reckless behaviour as it is occurring should call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
Information: Anyone with information about past or potential behaviour should contact Crime Stoppers or visit their website.
Further information about bushfire arson
and reckless fires is available on the Victoria Police website.
