CFA report - Upper Edi District Fire - 5 Dec

Fire along the Edi Blackrange Road

Residents in the Edi Upper District along the Edi Blackrange Road (Wangaratta Complex) are advised that there is fire activity approx. 1 km from the road. Residents have been advised to activate their bushfire plans.

Residents in the Cheshunt, Cheshunt South, Paradise Falls, Swinburn Lane and Hardys Lane areas are advised that changing weather conditions may cause fires in the area to threaten private property. Residents are advised to activate their fire plans and make the decision early whether or not they are going to stay and defend their home or leave safely.

Ember Message

Those residents in this area should expect smoke and burning embers to reach their property, and are advised to patrol their houses to find and put out any burning embers that may be landing.

After the fire front has passed, residents should immediately begin to patrol their house looking for embers or areas that are burning, and extinguish them as best they can.

Residents are advised that the fire will soon change the direction that it is moving, and that new areas may come under threat. Residents in Cheshunt, Cheshunt South, Paradise Falls, Swinburn Lane and Hardys Lane areas should expect embers to be landing around their homes soon, and should take all measures to put them out as they arrive.

Residents should expect that embers from this fire may continue to arrive for several hours, and should not lessen their work to protect their homes. Residents should continue to patrol their homes and check roof spaces, under-floor spaces, and areas where leaves commonly gather to ensure that nothing is burning.

Protective Clothing

Message Residents should ensure that they are wearing the correct clothing. Residents should wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, sturdy boots, and a broad brimmed hat. On no account should synthetic material be worn.

Radiant Heat

As the front of the fire approaches, it will become unsafe to be either on foot or in a car as the heat radiating from the fire will be intense. Residents should avoid being exposed to radiant heat at all costs, and should make use of structures like their homes to shelter as the fire front passes.

As the wind change gets closer the wind will become more unpredictable, and may gust strongly. All residents should take extreme care that they are not exposed to radiant heat at this time, and that a sudden change in wind speed or direction does not catch them in the open.

For further information, please contact the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667 or Check the DSE Website http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/fires