By BEN CAMERON
SEVENTY-FIVE clean up notices have been issued to residents by Cardinia Shire Council in just a few weeks following the initial stages of a shire-wide fire hazard property inspection program.
Council Emergency Management Officer Glynn Owen said nearly 5000 properties across the hills area, including Emerald, Upper Beaconsfield and parts of Cockatoo, have been inspected for warning signs already which could pose “a risk to life or property”.
Inspections began several weeks ago.
“That number (75) is continuing to grow by the day,” he said.
“We’re working through the hills (area) at the moment. We’re hitting it pretty hard between now and Christmas. It’s a fair bit of work involved.
“At the expiry of a fire prevention notice we send officers out to reinspect to ensure compliance.
“We’re looking for long grass, fine fuels and overgrown weeds and vegetation.”
The program will inspect all of the shire’s approximately 38,000 properties.
“We sent out a pre (fire) season awareness letter to 3500 properties which have either been problems in the past or have vacant land… advising we’re starting our inspections and they should consider their property maintenance,” he said.
The shire issued about 650 fire prevention notices last year and sent out about 70 forced clearance infringements, the next step in the enforcement process.
“That’s (forced clearance infringements) the number we want low, it means people are complying and so we’re not issuing fines,” he said.
The council has also confirmed its three Neighbourhood Safer Places – Places of Last Resort for the fire season.
The three locations are the oval and car park at Emerald’s Worrell Reserve, Mountain Road Sports Complex inside the basketball stadium in Cockatoo, and the car park at Gembrook Community Centre.
However council Resilience and Recovery Co-ordinator David Lane said residents should not rely on these areas.
“I almost think that title should be switched around because it is a place of last resort,” he said.
“The messaging is clearly around ‘leave early on days of high heat’.
“People in high risk areas should be having plans in place and leaving their property early, rather than leaving it until the last minute.”
Mr Owen said the council conducted monthly audits of the three locations.
See page 31 for more details of the upcoming fire season.
