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Andrew Roach - winter fuel reduction.jpeg

Preparations for bushfire season are best started in winter, and this year our annual Winter Fuel Reduction Program has focused on Anglesea and Aireys Inlet.

The program encourages owners and occupiers to reduce vegetation around properties and help create safe clearance zones between vegetation and buildings.

This early action can help save lives and property once the bushfire season hits, here in one of Australia’s most volatile and vulnerable regions.

This year’s Winter Fuel Reduction Program saw our teams work with 960 property owners in and around Anglesea and Aireys Inlet.

Unlimited free collection of cuttings stacked by residents on nature strips resulted in creation of 503 cubic metres of mulch – enough to fill 2,096 big wheelie bins.

Crews also trimmed or removed vegetation from 360 road reserves to reduce risk for adjoining properties.

During this work, teams identified nature strip plantings that were not aligned with our Nature Strip Policy, which sets clear directions on permitted nature strip treatments within high bushfire risk areas.

Ensuring nature strip plantings comply with the policy is an important to helping manage fire risk

Properties with non-compliant nature strips are issued with notices requesting removal of vegetation or landscaping.

Community members have swung tools into action supporting our annual Winter Fuel Reduction Program since 2009 and we are continuing to work with communities to enable it to be as effective as possible.

It focuses on different high-risk communities each year – rotating between Lorne, Moggs Creek, Fairhaven, Aireys Inlet and Anglesea – and encourages people across the wider shire to start preparations.

Thanks to all property owners who engaged with this year’s program.

General fuel reduction guidelines include:

  • Trim vegetation to create two-metre clearance zones from buildings;
  • Remove any woody weeds, and
  • Clear out dense vegetation near buildings or fences and create breaks in hedges.
  • Always consider safety before trimming. 

Cuttings can be placed in green-lid kerbside bins or taken to local transfer stations.

In October, all residential property owners across the shire will receive vouchers providing free drop-off of green waste at Anglesea, Lorne and Winchelsea transfer stations to support final property preparations ahead of the fire season.

The efforts of property owners, in partnership with Council, complements work carried out by Forest Fire Management Victoria and the Country Fire Authority, such as fuel reduction burns and the implementation and maintenance of strategic fuel breaks within and around towns.

Read more about fire preparation and prevention, or to contact a Community Fire Safety and Environment Officer call 5261 0600 or lodge a request.

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