Bushfire and grassfire
Bushfire and grassfire emergencies are rated as a high risk for the Surf Coast. They can start small and grow quickly in the right conditions.
Everyone living in or visiting the Shire should understand fire risk and make a plan to stay safe.
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) is the lead for this emergency within the Surf Coast fire district, and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) leads this emergency on public land such as national parks and state forest.
Why are bush and grass fires a risk?
A bush or grass fire is a fast-moving fire in that can threaten homes, lives, farmland and the local economy. It can start small and grow quickly in the right conditions.
Bush and grass fires are usually triggered by lightning, escaped campfires or burn-offs, faulty power lines, machinery, or deliberate lighting, and are made worse by heat, wind and heavy fuel loads.
The Great Otway National Park is stunning, but its dense vegetation makes it one of the most bushfire-vulnerable landscapes on the planet. Two local factors make the fire risk particularly complex here:
- the Great Ocean Road can quickly become a bottleneck, blocked by accidents or the fire itself, making a late evacuation extremely dangerous
- over 100,000 visitors at peak tourist season may not know local roads or how to read the landscape for danger.
Who and what is most at risk?
Fire is a risk for everyone in the Shire, not just those living in or near bushland. Fire can move fast, change direction with the wind, and cut off roads before people realise they need to leave. Some people and places face increased risk:
- The bushland fringe towns of Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Lorne, Wye River and Separation Creek
- People with limited mobility or who are reliant on other people to help them evacuate, including older people, young children, and people with disability or chronic health conditions
- Anyone without transport
- Visitors unfamiliar with local roads and refuge points
Bushfire Place of Last Resort
A Bushfire Place of Last Resort – BPLR (also called Neighbourhood Safer Places - NSPs) is a place of last resort when all other bushfire plans have failed.
BPLRs are locations that may provide some protection from direct flame and heat from a fire, but they do not guarantee safety. Leaving early is ALWAYS your safest option.
Not all townships have a designated BLPR. View current Surf Coast Shire BPLRs here and in the attached information sheet.
All towns Bushfire Place of Last Resort information sheet(PDF, 12MB)
You can also search the CFA website to find your nearest BPLR