WHAT DOES IT MEAN? WHAT SHOULD I DO? These are the worst conditions for a bush or grassfi re. Leaving high risk bushfi re areas the night before or CODE RED Homes are not designed or constructed to withstand early in the day is your safest option – do not wait and see. fi res in these conditions. Avoid forested areas, thick bush and long, dry grass. CODE RED The safest place to be is away from high risk bushfi re areas. Know your trigger – make a decision about: – when you will leave – where you will go – how you will get there Be aware of – when you will return – what you will do if you cannot leave the Fire Danger Rating and know what to do. Expect extremely hot, dry and windy conditions. • Consider staying with your property only if you are prepared to the EXTREME If a fi re starts and takes hold, it will be uncontrollable, highest level. This means your home needs to be situated and unpredictable and fast moving. Spot fi res will start, move quickly constructed or modifi ed to withstand a bushfi re, you are well The Fire Danger Rating predicts how and will come from many directions. prepared and you can actively defend your home if a fi re starts. a fi re would behave if one started, Homes situated and constructed or modifi ed to withstand a • If you are not prepared to the highest level, leaving high risk bushfi re including how diffi cult it would be to bushfi re, that are well prepared and actively defended, may areas early in the day is your safest option. provide safety. • Be aware of local conditions and get information by listening to put out. The higher the rating, the You must be physically and mentally prepared to defend ABC Local Radio, commercial and designated community radio more dangerous the conditions. The in these conditions. stations or Sky News TV, going to emergency.vic.gov.au or calling the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226. rating is your trigger to act, so to stay safe you need to be aware of the Expect hot, dry and possibly windy conditions. • Well prepared homes that are actively defended can provide safety Fire Danger Rating in your district. SEVERE If a fi re starts and takes hold, it may be uncontrollable. – check your bushfi re survival plan. • If you are not prepared, leaving bushfi re prone areas early in the day During the fi re season, the Fire Well prepared homes that are actively defended can provide safety. is your safest option. Danger Rating will feature in weather You must be physically and mentally prepared to defend in • Be aware of local conditions and get information by listening to forecasts, be broadcast on radio and these conditions. ABC Local Radio, commercial and designated community radio stations or Sky News TV, going to emergency.vic.gov.au or TV and appear in some newspapers. calling the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226. It can also be found on the CFA and VicEmergency websites, or by calling VERY HIGH If a fi re starts, it can most likely be controlled in these conditions • Check your bushfi re survival plan. the VicEmergency Hotline and homes can provide safety. • Monitor conditions. Be aware of how fi res can start and minimise the risk. 1800 226 226 HIGH • Action may be needed. Controlled burn-offs may occur in these conditions if it’s safe • Leave if necessary. LOW-MODERATE – check to see if permits apply.

For more information contact the VicEmergency Hotline 1800 226 226 cfa.vic.gov.au KNOW YOUR TOTAL FIRE BAN DISTRICT

MALLEE DISTRICT WIMMERA DISTRICT NORTHERN NORTH EAST EAST TOTAL COUNTRY DISTRICT DISTRICT DISTRICT Buloke Shire Hindmarsh Shire FIRE BANS Gannawarra Shire Horsham Rural City Campaspe Shire East Gippsland Shire Mildura Rural City Northern Grerater Bendigo City Benalla Rural City Total Fire Bans are declared Swan Hill Rural City Shire West Wimmera Greater Shepparton City Falls Creek Alpine Resort CENTRAL DISTRICT Yarriambiack Shire Shire Yarriambiack Shire Loddon Shire Indigo Shire by CFA on days when fires (north of the netting fence) (south of the netting fence) Moira Shire Mansfield Shire Ballarat City are likely to spread rapidly Mildura Strathbogie Shire Mount Buller Alpine Resort Banyule City and be difficult to control. SOUTH WEST Alpine Resort DISTRICT Alpine Resort Bayside City On days of Total Fire Ban NORTH CENTRAL Towong Shire Boroondara City DISTRICT Wangarrata Rural City Brimbank City there are legal restrictions in Ararat Rural City Wodonga City Cardinia Shire Colac Otway Shire force to reduce the Central Goldfields Shir e Casey City Corangamite Shire Alpine Resor t Darebin City likelihood of fires starting. Glenelg Shire WEST & SOUTH Mitchell Shire Frankston City Swan Hill Moyne Shire GIPPSLAND Mount Alexander Shire is divided into nine Pyrenees Shire DISTRICT Murrindindi Shire Glen Eira City Southern Grampians Shire Total Fire Ban districts. Total Golden Plains Warrnambool City Baw Baw Shire Fire Bans are declared by Hopetoun Greater Dandenong City Latrobe City district and you must know Alpine Resort Greater Geelong City South Gippsland Shire Hepburn Shire which district you live in. Echuca Hobsons Bay City Wodonga Wellington Shire Charlton Rochester Shepparton City A list of municipalities that

Kingston City Elmore Wangaratta are located in each of the WIMMERA NORTHERN Knox City St Arnaud NORTH EAST districts is shown in the Macedon Ranges Shire Horsham Bendigo COUNTRY Bright Manningham City coloured boxes. Heathcote Seymou r Falls Creek Edenhope Stawell Maryborough Maribyrnong City Halls Gap Avoca Castlemaine Maroondah City For more information on Omeo NORTH Mt Buller City Lexton CENTRAL Total Fire Bans and fire Kyneton EAST Melton Shire Ararat Marysville restrictions please call the Daylesford GIPPSLAND Monash City Ballarat Moonee Valey City VicEmergency Hotline on Healesville Casterton Skipton Kalkallo Moorabool Shire Hamilton CENTRAL Bairnsdale 1800 226 226 or via Warburton Moreland City SOUTH WEST Lismore Melbourne Mornington Peninsula Shire National Relay Service on Bunyip Sale Mortlake Winchelsea WEST & Nillumbik Shire Cressy Pakenham 1800 555 677 or visit Port Fairy SOUTH Port Phillip City Warragul GIPPSLAND cfa.vic.gov.au Colac Lorne Queenscliffe Borough Portland Stonnington City Wonthaggi Whitehorse City Whittlesea City Wyndham City Yarra City For more information please visit the CFA website at cfa.vic.gov.au or phone the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226 or via National Relay Service on 1800 555 677 September 2018