The Clonbinane Community Hall was the location of a very well attended fire scenario on a Sunday afternoon in October hosted by the Clonbinane Action Group.
Clonbinane Scenario. Photo K.Herbert
The local brigade, Mitchell Shire and DELWP representatives were all in attendance to support the event.
The scenario was run as part of the Safer Together program assisting communities in planning and preparing for bushfire and increasing residents' awareness of the bushfire risk in their locality.
The afternoon began with FFMVic Senior Community Partnership Support Officer Tom Goldstraw giving a talk on Forest Fire Management Victoria’s local fuel management and risk reduction program.
CFA District 12 Operations Officer, Carl Stibilj followed with a presentation on the seasonal conditions residents could expect over the coming summer.
Then a virtual simulation of a fire impacting the Clonbinane area on a typical 32-degree summer day was run using the CFA’s sim table.
Residents were asked to think about where they were likely to be and what they would be doing as the fire started and grew, increasing in intensity as it moved through the area.
Residents were encouraged to think through their plans for before, during and after a fire and to plan for all situations. To think about how to know when they would leave, where they would go and how they would get there.
The scenario encouraged conversations about the time that would be available to enact fire plans, how they could find information and what conditions would really be like.
The scenario identified several issues that surprised residents, such as the distance and speed the fire would travel under 25 km winds and how quickly escape roads could be cut.
A BBQ followed the presentation, providing more opportunities to ask questions in a relaxed environment. Overwhelmingly, conversations moved towards a consensus that leaving early was the best option.