Three Victorian towns soon evacuated in massive bushfire drill

Three Victorian towns will be evacuated as part of a drill in preparation for what’s expected to be a busy bushfire season.

Powelltown, Three Bridges and Gilderoy are the three towns chosen to take part in the massive exercise on Saturday, October 26.

The three towns, near Yarra Junction, are home to about 500 people.

The aim of the plan, led by Emergency Management Victoria and supported by Victoria Police, is to practice evacuating everyone and implementing traffic management plans to see how the procedures stand up.

Community members, no matter what they’ve got planned for that day or whether their bushfire plan is to stay and defend, are encouraged to take part in the evacuation

It will be followed by a community meeting at the Powelltown Football Ground to discuss the learnings from the day.

“This is a chance for Victoria Police, emergency services and local residents to assess how the area and the people respond to a bushfire threat,” Assistant Commissioner Michael Grainger said.

“While Victoria Police is well prepared to undertake an evacuation, the exercise is about testing our preparedness and identifying any opportunities for improvement.

“There will be additional patrols in the area to engage with the community and assist with the evacuation.

“It’s important to remember that in a real emergency with a fast-moving bushfire, police are not always in a position to provide an evacuation alert so residents should ensure they’re well prepared.”