Tomorrow, Monday, December 16, 2024, has been declared a day of Total Fire Ban in the Mallee, Wimmera, South West, Northern Country, North Central, Central (includes Melbourne and Geelong) and West and South Gippsland district(s) of Victoria.
No fires can be lit or be allowed to remain alight in the open air from 12:01am on Monday, December 16, 2024, until 11:59pm on Monday, December 16, 2024.
Strong north-to-northwest winds, with damaging gusts of up to 80 km/h, are expected ahead of a south-south-westerly cool change, which will sweep across the state from the southwest at around 2pm, extend further west by 5pm, and reach central parts of the state by 8pm.
Before the change, dry thunderstorms and lightning are possible, while the change itself may bring wet thunderstorms.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan urged Victorians to take these conditions seriously and prepare accordingly.
“Total Fire Bans are declared to reduce the risk of fires starting and spreading in dangerous weather conditions,” he said.
“With strong winds and the potential for fire spotting up to 2–3 km ahead of the main fire front, any fire that starts could spread rapidly and threaten homes, communities, and lives.”
Jason reminded residents in all TFB regions to have their bushfire survival plans ready and act early if conditions worsen.
“If you live in a fire-prone area, now is the time to review your fire plan and make sure you are prepared to leave early if needed. Don’t wait until it’s too late to act,” he said.
“A Total Fire Ban means harvesting activities, like operating headers or tractors, must be carefully managed, as sparks or heat from equipment can easily ignite dry grass,” Jason added.
“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,” Jason 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.
Victorians should also make sure they have access to more than one source of information.
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).
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