FIRE
Adaptation is preparing for earlier and longer seasons of more intense and widespread fire
Fire activity in the Grampians Region is growing more frequent and severe. Spring seasons are overall growing hotter and drier, while rainfalls generally are declining or arriving later. The imperative for adaptation is to support prevention and preparedness efforts on private land and make investments in fire-prone communities. This will include innovations in building, land and water management approaches and increasing resilience of communities. These may draw on traditional knowledge, local practices and research.
| Adaptation plans and actions already underway | Lead agency |
| Municipal emergency management plans | Local governments across the Region |
| Grampians Regional Emergency Management Plan | Regional Emergency Management Planning Committee (REMPC) |
| State Emergency Management Plan | Emergency Management Victoria (EMV) |
| Fire emergency response | Country Fire Authority (CFA), Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) and Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV) |
| Victorian Traditional Owner Cultural Fire Strategy | Victorian Traditional Owner Cultural Fire Knowledge Holder Group |
| Goathand Cooperative | Hepburn Shire Council with Federation University |
| Strategic Bushfire Management Planning | DELWP, CFA and FRV |
| Community Based Bushfire Management | DELWP, CFA and FRV |
| Community Fireguard | CFA |
| Victorian Emergency Management Reform | EMV |
Leading opportunities
- Increase fire resistance of the built environment.
- Improve the resilience of fire prone communities so they can recover more quickly if impacted by fire.
- Early detection, response and monitoring of fires.
- Embedding climate change researchers within disaster risk management agencies.
- Sustaining the volunteer base of rural and remote communities is essential for social and economic recovery from Covid and other shocks.
- Sharing of cultural burning knowledge and practice maintained by Traditional Owners.
- Streamline replacement and compensation arrangements for households that get burnt out (especially where no permit to rebuild is likely, due to fire risk).
Main barriers
- Dwindling populations in rural and remote communities reduce available personnel.
- Earlier onset of fire seasons leading to fire fighter exhaustion.
- Availability of water for fire-fighting due to sustained drought.
- Public apathy on undertaking prevention works around homes and properties.
- Public resistance to alternate fuel management options such as mechanical harvesting to reduce fuel.
- Health impacts associated with smoke from bushfires and planned burning.
Stephen Walls from Country Fire Authority (CFA)
Glenn Rudolph from Forest Fire Management Victoria
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Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the First Nations Peoples of the land and waters that we live, care and work upon within the Grampians Region. We respect the continuous culture that has been embedded into history for thousands of years. We pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
