Image: Hamilton Fire Brigade
CFA celebrates its 80th birthday on 2 April, amid a surge in fire related incidents across Victoria.
Since the Fire Danger Period began on 28 October, CFA crews have responded to 4,589 fire-related incidents, over 700 more than during the same period in 2023-24.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the milestone fire season has been one of the busiest in recent years.
“Eighty years on, the way we fight fires may have changed a little, but our core mission remains the same - to protect lives and property,” Jason said.
The 2024-25 fire season has seen major incidents across the Grampians and Little Desert regions, among others, with thousands of volunteers stepping up to support their communities.
“During the 2024-25 fire season, we’ve seen our members turn out for fire related incidents over 67,000 times, so far.”
“I want to acknowledge the commitment and resilience of our members who’ve given up time with their families, taken leave from work, and travelled significant distances to support communities under threat during this busy fire season.”
Dry conditions were a contributing factor to the rise of incidents across the 2024-25 fire season.
Vegetation fires accounted for the majority of responses at 2,307. Other significant incident types included structure fires (773) and vehicle fires (668).
While preventable incidents involving escaped burn-offs, campfires and fire pits accounted for 807 call-outs.
“We’ll continue to educate the community about how to avoid preventable fires,” Jason said.
“Taking extra precautions during high-risk periods can significantly reduce the strain placed on our members and resources.”
Jason said the milestone year was an opportunity to reflect on how far CFA has come since its establishment in the wake of the 1939 Black Friday Royal Commission.
“CFA has come a long way since its inception,” he said.
“Today, nearly 52,000 CFA members support communities across Victoria, not only through fire response but also in road crashes, rescues, floods and medical emergencies.
“As we have done over the past eight decades, CFA will continue to invest heavily in training and equipment and above all, we’ll continue to invest in our people.
“Our members are the backbone of our organisation, a remarkable collection of highly skilled volunteers who step up and protect their community whenever called upon.”
Post your thank you message to CFA here.