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| | Page Last Updated:
Wednesday, 11 March 2009 |
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Home>Current Bush Fire Information
The information below is current as 1pm Friday 6 March 2009
Contact details for all principal agencies are provided below.
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| | Updates from the Incident Control Centre should be reviewed for the most up-to-date information and residents are also encouraged to listen to ABC radio for alert or the higher level 'threat' messages relating to all emergencies |
| MANSFIELD SHIRE COMMUNITY "FIRE STATUS" MEETINGS, INFORMATION & 'DROP-IN- CENTRE' ARRANGEMENTS | | The Kilmore East – Murrindindi Complex North fire is now listed as contained. It has burnt approximately 168,452 hectares.
Cool weather and drizzle have significantly reduced fire behaviour in the area.
The most recent Situation report from the Incident Control Centre nominated as the Final advises
The Kilmore East – Murrindindi Complex North fire is now listed as contained. It has burnt approximately 168,452 hectares.
Crews will continue patrols over the next few weeks with the focus now moving to rehabilitation assessments and works. Work will include preventing silting of nearby waterways, closing bulldozed control lines that are no longer needed, and channelling runoff from roads and tracks.
The earlier information released (see below) at 7pm Thursday evening advises of ongoing fire control activities and highlights the improved situation.
The update is listed below.
"Incident Information from Incident Controller.
The Kilmore East – Murrindindi Complex North fire is now listed as contained. It has burnt approximately 168,452 hectares.
Cool weather and drizzle have significantly reduced fire behaviour in the area. Crews will continue patrols over the next few weeks with the focus now moving towards rehabilitation assessments and works. Work will include preventing silting of nearby waterways, closing bulldozed control lines that are no longer needed, and channelling runoff from roads and tracks.
The Jerusalem Creek Road is open to the Darlingford Waters Marina. This allows access to Jerusalem Creek Caravan Park and Marina, Eildon Ski Club and the Darlingford Waters Marina over the long weekend.
Core Advice
• There may be increased amounts of smoke in the area from this fire.
• Road use in the area may still be hazardous. Watch out for fallen trees, power lines, abandoned cars, wildlife and emergency services vehicles. Please take extra care as travel may be hazardous due to slippery roads that have had considerable fire fighting traffic. END
Earlier Community Meetings:
The Mansfield Community Fire Update meeting held Monday evening 1st March attracted an audience of approximately 320 people from the Township and surrounding areas. DSE staff as Incident Controllers, CFA, Police and Council staff were in attendance. A similar meeting was held at Jamieson at 12 noon last Sunday with over 100 interested persons in attendance
Community Meetings were also held at short notice on Wednesday 25th February to update the communities on the fire behaviour and increased risk that was expected for last Friday. Approximately 125 residents from the Jamieson area and most of the residents at Woods Point heard from DSE staff as Incident Controllers, Vic Police, CFA and Council
Earlier meetings had been held at Jamieson, Bonnie Doon, Gough Bay and Merrijig over the period 10 - 13 February where considerable community interest and concern for the fire situation was also demonstrated by the attendance figures.
With the signifantly reduced risk further community meetings have NOT been planned for at this stage.
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| MANSFIELD SHIRE INFORMATION | | Updated 6 March 2009
Mansfield Council staff continue to keep in close contact with the fire and all emergency management authorities and support agencies. Additional rain will be required to strengthen the great work at the fire control lines and thus remove the remaining risk to settlements like Enoch's Point.
SES wish to draw attention to the potential impact that heavy rains could have within catchments following the widespread fire. A "fact sheet" of information relating to the flash flood risk after bushfires can be downloaded.
The information highlights the risk is to personal safety and potential damage to infrastructure such as roads and bridges or personal assets near a waterway. Download
It is also worth noting that the risk from fires will persist throughout the Municipality for many weeks until significant rain arrives. All routine actions that apply during the "fire danger period" continue to apply - including your ongoing fire action plans, fuel reduction actions around your assets and adjoining neighbours & the ongoing need for care so as to not cause a fire.
A separate information sheet has been finalised by Council in relation to an owners' ability to remove/clear vegetation and can be accessed from the following link
Download
Information relating to developing and operating Community Phone Trees can also be provided by contacting Council's Municipal Emergency Resources Officer Kevin Murphy. Information relating to your community phone tree can be provided to Council for activation where time allows- preferably forward electronic copies to Council at the address below.
Mansfield Shire Council can be contacted phone 5775 8555 (all hours), email council@mansfield.vic.gov.au
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| WHERE TO GET INFORMATION | | Bushfire Updates
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 | Victorian Bushfire Information Hotline 1800 240 667 | | For fire information contact either the Country Fire Authority (CFA) at www.cfa.vic.gov.au or the Department Sustainability & Environment (DSE) at www.dse.vic.gov.au | | For road closures www.vicroads.vic.gov.au | | Callers with hearing, speech or communication impairments with access to a TTY (teletext) machine can call during business hours on: TTY 1800 122 969.
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| Checking on family members or friends in affected areas 1800 727 077 or email inquiries@redcross.org.au | | Overseas enquiries about family or friends in bushfire areas +61 3 9328 3716 | | List of Victorian Bushfire Emergency Relief Centre locations and contact details www.dse.vic.gov.au | | List of all Recovery Centre locations and contact details www.dhs.vic.gov.au | | Help line specifically for counselling and health advice for people recovering from the bushfires 1300 60 60 24
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| DONATIONS | | The Mansfield Rotary Club is receiving donated goods at Buller Sport (former Mitre 10 Nursery) for fire victims including personal support items. Please contact Graham on 57751288 or Wendy on 5775 3298 as the site is not usually attended.
Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund
Relief organisations have reported difficulties managing the large influx of material aid (clothing, white goods, food etc) that has been generously donated.
At this time people are being asked to instead donate to the Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund launched by the Victorian Premier and the Prime Minister. It is being coordinated by the Red Cross and overseen by an independent advisory panel.
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| Call the Red Cross on 1800 811 700 or donate online at www.redcross.org.au | | Donate at any Bendigo Bank or any branch of the ANZ, Commonwealth, NAB or Westpac banks. | | Donate at any Bunnings store or Australia Post outlet. | | GoVolunteer is coordinating all people who wish to donate their time at 1300 366 356 or register at www.govolunteer.com.au
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| *Note: Red Cross will not deduct any funds from this appeal for administration costs. All funds received will be kept in a Trust Fund set up by the Victorian Government. All interest earned on donations will be invested back into the Appeal.
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| Urgent blood donations are not needed at this time. However people should continue donating over the coming weeks to maintain supplies. Call 13 14 95 to make an appointment or visit www.donateblood.com.au to fill out an online registration form.
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| Other Organisations
Salvation Army is collecting clothing and other goods for distribution to bushfire victims, as well as accepting financial donations. High quality goods can be donated at any Salvos store or by contacting 137 258 or www.salvos.org.au
Please note that the Salvation Army has been inundated today with clothing and other material items so they have advised that they would prefer financial donations at this stage.
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| HOUSING / EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATION | | The Department of Human Services is coordinating donations of billeting/housing and emergency accommodation for Victorian bushfire victims. No further offers of single rooms or shared accommodation are needed at this time. Offers of caravans, mobile homes and vacant furnished homes/holiday houses can be donated to the Victorian Bushfire Public Accommodation Donation Line 1800 006 468, 8am - 8pm
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| PERSONAL SUPPORT / COUNSELLING |
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| Help your children make sense of the natural disasters
The attached article has been written by parenting educator Michael Grose to assist parents, teachers and other professionals to help children deal with the disasters that will dominate all forms of news media in the coming days. Download
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| ANIMAL WELFARE | | Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is responsible for animal welfare response and recovery activities with the support of the RSPCA and Department of Sustainability and Environment.
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| DPI Customer Service Centre on 136 186 for advice on nearest DPI coordination centre. | | RSPCA temporary emergency accommodation for animals 03 9224 2222 or www.rspca.org.au. RSPCA is also providing wildlife assistance | | Animal Aid in Coldstream (Yarra Ranges Shire) for care of domestic pets affected by fires. Contact 0418 982 070.
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| Information Note about handling horses before, during and after a bushfire.
This information note addresses the following questions: Download
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| How can I protect my horses and property from a bushfire? | | What should I do when a fire threatens? | | What should I do during and after the fire? | | Department of Primary Industries www.dpi.vic.gov.au/animalwelfare
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| To make fodder donations for livestock contact the Victorian Farmers Federation 1300 882 833 or www.vff.org.au | | To make pet food donations contact your local RSPCA www.rspca.org.au
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