Total Fire Ban for Mallee and Wimmera

 

A Total Fire Ban (TFB) has been declared for the Mallee and Wimmera tomorrow, Saturday 23 November 2024.

 

Tomorrow's conditions will be hot and dry statewide with extreme fire danger in the Mallee and Wimmera. Victorians will feel the heat with temperatures reaching high 30s in the northwest and west and the remainder of the state in the low to mid 30s.

Light to moderate northerly winds of up to 40km/hr are expected in the Wimmera and Mallee before a south-westerly wind change will bring cooler conditions by the early evening.

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. 

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the TFB has been declared due to the expected conditions across the Wimmera and the Mallee tomorrow but encourages all Victorians to be aware of the risks in their local areas.  

“Tomorrow’s hot and dry conditions right across the state will make it difficult for firefighters to supress a fire should one start,” Jason said.

“We saw significant fire activity over the weekend and remind all residents who are preparing their properties ahead of the fire danger period to make sure they are extinguishing properly and are closely attending to their burns.

“If possible, we urge people to postpone burns if they can.

“As harvest activity progresses, particularly in the Mallee, we advise farmers to remain vigilant and take extra precautions to prevent accidental ignition in the drier conditions.

“We’re asking people to follow the strict conditions associated with the TFB declaration and ensure your fire plan covers all possible contingencies.”

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

 

Submitted by	CFA Media