By Jessica Micallef
Macedon Ranges council is encouraging residents to prepare and plan now for the upcoming bushfire season.
The council’s planning and environment director Angela Hughes said spring time was the perfect opportunity for residents to prepare their property.
“Everyone has a role to play in preventing fires and a well-maintained property will help to reduce the risk of fire to our community, including you and your neighbours,” she said.
“You can do this by cutting long grass and cleaning up fine fuels such as weeds, leaves and twigs around your property.”
The council is urging residents to remove overhanging branches and shrubs that are more than one metre high next to or below windows, keep grass short and clear combustible materials, clear roof gutters of any leaf litters, maintain any defendable space around the property, ensure rainwater tanks are accessible and full and bushfire survival plans are in place and practised.
To assist residents with the clean-up, the council provides a free green waste drop-off service at transfer stations across the region.
In consultation with the CFA, burning off restrictions will be lifted in October for land less than 4000 square metres.
When burning off, residents must monitor weather conditions on the day, register the burn-off, never leave the burn-off unattended and monitor the burn for at least seven days after the fire has been extinguished.
The council’s fire management officers will begin annual property inspections next month and will issue fire prevention notices to properties that present a fire risk.
The notice will outline fire prevention works that must be completed by a due date.
For more information, visit mrsc.vic.gov.au/fire-ready or call 5422 0333.
