Vic: Megafire warning, more clearing part of bushfire defences
Mon Aug 31 02:20:43 EST 2009
Sun Aug 30 16:20:43 UTC 2009
MELBOURNE, Aug 31 AAP - The Victorian government is set to announce a new "megafire" fire danger warning as part of a raft of policy changes in response to the bushfire royal commission's interim report.
A new warning system, based on cyclone category warnings, will be introduced for the coming fire season to give clearer guidance on conditions, the Herald Sun newspaper reports.
The top rating will be the megafire warning, which will be above the existing extreme fire danger warning, and is expected to be used on only a couple of days a year.
Victorian Premier John Brumby is expected to formally accept and outline the practical response to all 51 recommendations from the commission's interim report, the newspaper said.
New rules for vegetation clearance will be introduced, it said, with approval for clearing of all vegetation including trees within 10 metres of a dwelling, along with clearing of any ground fuel within 30 metres.
The emphasis for the Country Fire Authority is expected to shift, with the authority now expected to choose between fighting a blaze and making sure all community members can be defended at a safe place such as a sports field.
