View the list of Victorian townships noted as bushfire 'hotspots' ahead of what could be an even worse fire season than last year.

The 52 towns where enhanced township protection plans will be implemented are:

Aireys Inlet (Aireys Inlet/Moggs Creek/Fairhaven/Big Hill), Andersons Inlet (Inverloch, Venus Bay, Waratah Bay, Walkerville); Anglesea; Barongarook; Barwon Downs; Bemm River; Bendigo; Blackwood; Blairgowrie ;Bolwarra; Breamlea; Cann River; Carlisle River; Castlemaine; Cockatoo; Creswick; Dandenong Ranges; Daylesford; Deans Marsh  (Bambra/Pennyroyal); Dereel; Dunkeld; Eaglehawk; Forrest; Gembrook; Greendale; Halls Gap; Hepburn; Jan Juc (Jan Juc/Bellbrae); Junortoun; Kangaroo Flat; Kawaren; Lavers Hill; Loch Sport; Lorne; Macedon; Maiden Gully; Mallacoota; Marengo; Mt Helen/Mt Clear; Mt Macedon; Nelson; Noojee; Peterborough; Rye/St Andrews; Sandy Point; St Arnaud; Steiglitz; Trentham; Upper Beaconsfield; Warrandyte/North; Warrandyte; Woodend and Wye River (Wye River/Kennett River/Separation Creek).

VICTORIA GOVERNMENT MEDIA RELEASE (EXCERPT):

Premier John Brumby said the Government was putting in place measures to be rolled-out across the whole of Victoria for the bushfire season ahead including:

•    A national telephone emergency warning system to deliver warnings to all fixed and mobile telephones, to ensure the system is place ahead of the fire season;  
•    An $11.5 million long-term behavioural change education and community campaign to get communities ready for the fire season and a CFA online assessment tool;
•    Bringing on 700 Department of Sustainability and Environment seasonal firefighters, with some to start a month earlier than last year and all on the ground by the start of summer;
•    Revising the ‘prepare, stay and defend or leave early’ policy to place a far greater emphasis on the protection of life by leaving early;
•    $28.9 million to upgrade pre-formed Incident Control Centres to new higher minimum standards and provide increased specialist capabilities;
•    Establishing a single ‘behind the scenes’ website with same-time uploads to the Country Fire Authority and Department of Sustainability and Environment websites as well as boosting the capacity of the Victorian Bushfire Information Line;  
•    A dedicated whole-of-state fire preparedness in October to increase awareness and preparedness of bushfire threat as well as the roll-out of an intensive education and awareness campaign to community key safety messages; and
•    An additional 150 Community Fireguard Groups to be established across the state and a doubling of fire ready meetings with an additional 1100 Fire Ready meetings to be held.

The changes come on top of the 2009 State Budget, which provided $986 million towards the firefighting effort including;

•    $56.2 million for the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority to improve its capacity to manage calls and dispatch units;
•    $57.1 million to purchase new radios and upgrade radio and pager networks used by SES and CFA – building on $450 million investment in communications since 2000;
•    $33.2 million to upgrade Department of Sustainability and Environment pagers and radios; and
•    $21.1 million to replace 87 CFA appliances, $10.3 million to replace 15 heavy rescue vehicles, 7 four wheel drive vehicles, 9 rescue boats and 11 road crash rescue kits at VICSES units and $10.3 million for 42 ultra light tankers. 

In addition to statewide actions, every local government is required to have in place a municipal emergency management plan. These will continue to need to be in place across the state. 

There are 64 local government areas that have municipal fire prevention plans in place which are required to identify areas, building and land use within the municipal district which are at particular risk in case of fire, how that risk is to be treated and specify responsibility for addressing the risks. 

These plans have been developed specifically and uniquely for each area with the CFA assisting in their development and auditing them regularly. Many local governments are already reviewing their plans in the aftermath of the February fires. These will continue to need to be in place in these local government areas.

Mr Brumby said in addition, the Government had accepted advice from fire agencies for the need for individual township protection plans for 52 towns and communities within 25 local government areas – over and above standard municipal fire prevention plans.

Selected locations are considered to be the most vulnerable because of geographical, environmental and community factors. They include towns of large population near bushland, summer tourist areas, towns in or near bushland and suburbs in or near bushland.

A Town Protection Plan provides a planned response by both emergency services and the community to a bushfire within or within close proximity to a township which has the potential to impact on a local community.

They are plans for the local community that address the specific needs of the individual town or community’s people, property, environment, vulnerable town facilities including schools, kindergartens and nursing homes and assets, heritage areas, critical infrastructure, access and exit routes and potential places of relative safety or assembly and hazards.

“Historically Township Protection Plans have been used by local brigades for operational response, but as part of this new approach they have now been enhanced to include community and municipality engagement, and education,” Mr Brumby said.

“On the expert advice of the fire agencies, the Government has provided $1.9 million to the CFA to put Township Protection Plans in place, working closely with local councils and communities in those areas.

“Fire agencies have identified 52 areas most vulnerable to fire in Victoria. This is based on scientific research, historic fire season information, climate change effects and rainfall, access such as entry and exits, property preparation and levels of community awareness.  

“These Township Protection Plans are essentially a more specific plan addressing local needs of needs of an identified more vulnerable area to protect people, property and environment.

“Resources have been increased to undertake these plans which are a new way of ensuring that lives are protected above all else in an emergency because it is vital that every Victorian is fire ready no matter where they live or what their fire experience has been.” 

The CFA is leading the development of the Town Protection Plans and will deliver a standardised statewide format for the plans. It is working with local councils and engaging local communities to explore local knowledge, history, culture and people’s needs in the development of the plans.