Victorians choosing to spend this Grand Final long weekend in the great outdoors are being warned to make sure their plans don’t go up in smoke.
The Conservation Regulator Victoria, CFA, Parks Victoria, and Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) are reminding campers about the importance of knowing the rules around campfire safety to protect fellow footy fans and the environment from the dangers of an escaped campfire.
Many people try to put out campfires incorrectly with soil, or not enough water to extinguish them completely. Fires that haven’t been properly extinguished can smoulder under soil for days and reignite in the right conditions.
To ensure campfires are safe: always check fire restrictions, including whether a Total Fire Ban is in place; plan ahead and consider alternatives for cooking such as a portable butane cooktop; always follow the designated rules of your campsite and remember that in national parks, fires can only be lit in purpose-built fireplaces unless marked otherwise; the campfire must not exceed one square metre, and three metres above and around your fire must be clear of flammable material; branches and logs on your campfire must be no longer than one metre; don’t leave a campfire unattended and ensure an adult is always within a 50-metre line of sight; extinguish a campfire with at least 10 litres of water every time you leave the site and take all rubbish home with you instead of burning it.
Report unattended campfires to DEECA at 136 186 or call 000 to report a bushfire.
Download the VicEmergency app or go to: https://www.emv.vic.gov.au/
For more on campfire rules go to: https://www.vic.gov.au/campfires-stoves-and-bbqs
