Bushfire danger emphasised

Cr Zelones attended a meeting with the commission last Tuesday at which the State’s planning policy on bushfire prone areas was discussed.

He called for better compliance tools, saying more needed to be done to enforce bushfire safety measures. Cr Zelones told Comment News on Thursday an ‘old standard’ was being used and it was a case of relying on one neighbour to reporting another and access to private land by the council was often difficult.

‘When the proverbial hits the fan we’ll be in the firing line again,’ he said.

Cr Zelones urged residents not to become complacent in minimising fire risks on their properties.

The shire was working to raise the profile of bushfire-ready groups in the area because international workers and migrants were often unaware of the existence of the groups, he said.

Last week, during Bushfire Preparedness Week, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services also urged residents to be ready for the bushfire season.

Operations deputy commissioner Lloyd Bailey said early indications showed WA would again be faced with a long and challenging bushfire season.

‘Recent rainfall has led to higher grass growth and an increase in fuel loads in large sections, which means more vegetation can burn if a bushfire starts,’ Mr Bailey said.

The awareness message was reinforced at Armadale Senior High School when students watched the Bedfordale Volunteer Bushfire Brigade demonstrate a small hazard reduction burn last Wednesday.

The brigade was invited by teacher John Townley, who is also a member of the brigade, and firefighters talked to the school about fire safety, volunteering and home preparation.