The Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) Seasonal Bushfire Outlook has identified parts of Gippsland as having “a higher than normal potential for forests to carry fire” after below average rainfall for winter.
Federal Member for Gippsland, Darren Chester, has urged the Commonwealth to get more involved in bushfire prevention measures.
He said he was not surprised by the outlook and had received feedback from residents across the eastern half of his electorate regarding the need for increased fuel reduction burning and mechanical clearing around critical assets.
“After some excellent seasons since the Black Summer Bushfires, there is a lot of regrowth on public land and the warmer, drier winter has certainly added to  community concerns of an early start to the fire risk period,” Mr Chester said.
“I have written to the Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt, to highlight concerns among local residents that we are simply not seeing enough work on the ground to reduce the bushfire risk.”

IMAGE: Debris pushed up against private property fence lines after roadside clearing has been labelled “habitat”, rather than removing the fire risk. The sight comes after the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook  report identified parts of Gippsland as having “a higher than normal potential for forests to carry fire”.