CFA Urgent Threat - Mansfield - King Valley - Tolmie

Urgent Threat message - Mansfield Complex 12.20 pm

Urgent threat message for residents around Burns Bridge to Knockwood, fire moving towards containment lines - 06/12/2006

DSE and CFA advise residents along the Woods Point Road from Burns Bridge to Knockwood area that a fire is moving towards containment lines and they may be threatened by this fire over the next 24 hours. These residents are advised to activate their fire plans immediately.

A containment line is in place between the fire and private property. Asset protection is our highest priority and DSE and CFA will actively defend properties as much as possible as the fire approaches the containment line. No backburning will occur.

Residents in this area are advised that embers may be landing around their property soon and they should take all measures to put them out as they arrive.

It is important that all residents protect themselves from radiant heat by wearing the right clothing. Residents should wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, sturdy boats and a broad rimmed hat.Synthetic material should not be worn.

As the fire front 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 home to shelter as the fire front passes.

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

Important incident information Urgent Threat Message - Wangaratta - King Valley 11.40am

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Wangaratta - King Valley - 06/12/2006 - 11.40am

Residents in the Edi Upper District along the Edi Blackrange Road are advised that there is fire activity approximately 1 km from the road.

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Tolmie and Gears Hill 11.40am - 06/12/2006

DSE and CFA advise residents of Tolmie and the Gears Hill area near Cambatong Road, Shane Lane and Faithfulls Raod that they should prepare for the possibility of ember attack, thick smoke and fire.

Mansfield water shortages - be fair, think laterally

Fairness and lateral thinking must be applied when managing Mansfield’s tight water supplies, according to Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes.

Several Mansfield District householders have contacted Dr Sykes concerned about advice that they will have to have water carted from as far away as Benalla and Alexandra at an extra cost of up to $300 per tanker – instead of water tanks being replenished with local supplies.

Dr Sykes said, “I have spoken to both Mansfield Shire and Goulburn Valley Water and three major issues exist…

• GVW’s legal obligation to supply their regular clients requires refusing to supply water to “outsiders” in times of severe water shortages;
• Government requirements for environmental flows in the Delatite River prevents diverting water from the Delatite to Mansfield water storage during periods of low flow;
• Legal standards for the quality of drinking water inhibits simple options such as taking water direct from Lake Eildon and subjecting it to a brief chlorine treatment while in transit to the domestic tank.

Dr Sykes said, “The State Government must show leadership on this issue.

“Environmental flow requirements must be reduced before the water situation of rural communities reaches crisis point.

“There may also be a need for legislative changes to enable GVW to ensure that all householders in the area have access to domestic water rather than people not connected to urban schemes being discriminated against.

There is also a need for a pragmatic approach to water quality requirements in some water shortage circumstances – after all most of us have survived drinking tank water flavoured with the odd dead possum!

Dr Sykes concluded, “I will support the efforts of GV Water and Mansfield Shire to ensure provision of basic water requirements to all local householders.

“It is essential that the Bracks Government immediately address any legal and policy obstacles which currently exist and that they also provide significantly greater financial assistance to ensure that all Victorians have access to portable quality water through the impending severe drought.