A Total Fire Ban (TFB) has been declared for the Mallee on Monday 2 January 2023. This is the first TFB declared this season.
Tomorrow's conditions in the Mallee fire weather district will be hot and dry with temperatures reaching high 30s to low 40s. Northerly winds up to 20km/h are predicted with a gusty southwesterly change in the early afternoon.
A Fire Danger Rating of Extreme is forecast for the Mallee tomorrow, with a High rating in the Wimmera, Moderate in the Northern Country, South West, Central, North Central and North East, and no rating for all of Gippsland.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the TFB has been declared due to the expected conditions across the Mallee tomorrow.
“The fire season is well upon us now with the recent heat waves which have dried out parts of the state – particularly in the west and north west of the state,” CO Heffernan said.
“Tomorrow’s conditions could make it difficult for firefighters to supress a fire should one start; therefore, we are asking people to take heed of the Total Fire Ban conditions,” CO Heffernan said.
“People need to be aware of the increased fire danger and ensure your fire plan covers all possible contingencies.”
A Total Fire Ban means no fire can be lit in the open air or allowed to remain alight from 12.01am to 11.59pm on the day of the Total Fire Ban.
Victorians can find out if it is a Total Fire Ban on the CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au, where it is usually published by 5pm the day before a Total Fire Ban.
For more information on what you can and can't do visit the Can I or Can't I page on the CFA website.
Victorians should also make sure they have access to more than one source of information.
They include:
- ABC local radio, commercial and designated radio stations of Sky News
- The VicEmergency App
- The VicEmergency website www.emergency.vic.gov.au
- The VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226
- CFA or VicEmergency Twitter or Facebook