Saturday, January 4, 2025, has been declared a day of Total Fire Ban for the Wimmera and southwest fire districts of Victoria.
No fires can be lit or be allowed to remain alight in the open air from 12:01am on Saturday, January 4, 2025, until 11:59pm on Sunday, January 5, 2025.
Hot, dry and windy conditions are expected to impact the west and southwest of the state on Saturday ahead of a south-westerly wind change late on Saturday into Sunday morning.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the Total Fire Ban (TFB) has been declared due to the heightened fire risk and hot temperatures in the late 30s reaching mid-40s in parts of the state.
“Tomorrow’s conditions in the west and southwest will make it difficult for firefighters to suppress a fire should one start,” Heffernan said.
“People travelling throughout the state during these summer holidays also need to remain alert and in tune with current fire danger ratings and warnings via the VicEmergency website or app and your emergency broadcasters.
“Follow the strict conditions associated with the Total Fire Ban declaration and understand the (sic) how the increased fire risk will impact you and ensure your fire plan covers all possible contingencies.”
Grampians Fire Incident Controller Jon Rofe said the fire hasn’t been declared contained yet and could spread further with tomorrow’s increased weather conditions.
“However, if it remains within current containment lines and there’s no significant fire activity over the weekend, we are looking to re-open Halls Gap to businesses and visitors during the next week,” Jon said.
“The re-opening of non-fire affected sections of the Grampians National Park will be assessed at the same time.”
“Fireworks and open-air fires, including campfires, are completely off-limits too.”
Non-compliance with Total Fire Ban restrictions can result in heavy penalties, including fines or imprisonment.
“Staying informed and acting early can make all the difference in a fire emergency. Tune into emergency broadcasts, visit emergency.vic.gov.au, and keep updated on the latest conditions in your area,” Heffernan said.
Victorians can find out if it is a Total Fire Ban on the CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au, where it is usually published by 5pm the day before a Total Fire Ban.
For more information on what you can and can’t do visit the Can I or Can’t I page on the CFA website.
They include:
- ABC local radio, commercial and designated radio stations of Sky News (keep a transistor radio handy with spare batteries);
- The VicEmergency App (but don’t rely on it);
- The VicEmergency website www.emergency.vic.gov.au (but don’t rely on it);
- The VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226 (but don’t rely on being able to get through);
- CFA or VicEmergency Twitter or Facebook (but don’t rely on it).
