General News
5 June, 2024
New bushfire strategy unveiled
THE vision for bushfire management in Victoria for the next 10 years is set out in Victoria’s Bushfire Management Strategy.
Severe bushfires earlier this year once again highlighted the devastating impacts bushfires can have on communities, economy and natural environment.
Victoria’s Bushfire Management Strategy is a joint commitment by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action and other land and fire agencies on the direction of bushfire management in Victoria over the next 10 years.
It articulates an agreed strategic approach to managing bushfire in Victoria and spells out that everyone has a role to play in bushfire management.
For individuals, communities and businesses, this means staying informed and taking responsibility for their own safety and wellbeing to improve levels of emergency preparedness, and build community resilience by understanding bushfire risk and being prepared for bushfires, preparing properties for the bushfire season, creating a fire plan and acting on it when required, and keeping up to date with emergency and fire danger warnings, and acting as advised by emergency authorities.
The strategy sets out objectives across seven key domains: people and community safety, critical infrastructure and economic resilience, Aboriginal self-determination, ecosystem resilience and nature conservation, informed decision-making, shared responsibility, and capability and capacity. The strategy builds on two years of consultation.
It is supported by a rolling three-year implementation plan and Victoria’s Bushfire Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Framework. Together, these products will not only drive accountability, but also make sure Victorians can have a say in designing actions taken into the future.
The strategy was developed in response to recommendations from the Inspector-General for Emergency Management’s Inquiry into the 2019-20 Victorian Fire Season and the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office’s audit into reducing bushfire risks.