Mitchell Shire Municipal Fire Management Plan A SUB-PLAN OF THE MITCHELL SHIRE MUNICIPAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners The Mitchell Shire Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land, those of the Taungurung and Wurundjeri People. We pay our respects to their rich cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging. Acknowledgements The Mitchell Shire Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee acknowledges the contributions of its member organisations, in particular the CFA, DELWP / Parks Victoria, Mitchell Shire Council Shire and Victoria Police including all current and past members. The 2020 MFMP was compiled by Terramatrix Pty Ltd in collaboration with Mitchell Shire Council staff and the member organisations of the Mitchell Shire MFMPC. It also acknowledges the important work of the Hume Regional Strategic Fire Management Committee and the Victorian Fire Risk Register team. Disclaimer: No reader should act on the basis of any matter contained in this publication without appreciating that it may be the subject of amendment or revocation from time to time without notice. The Councillors of Mitchell Shire Council expressly disclaim all and any liability (including liability in negligence) to any person or body in respect of anything and of the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done by any such person or body in reliance, whether total or partial, upon the whole or any part of this publication. Date: 9 September 2020 i V 5.0 Mitchell Shire Municipal Fire Management Plan PREFACE The Mitchell Shire Municipal Fire Management Plan Committee (MFMPC) is responsible for providing a strategic and integrated approach to fire management in Mitchell Shire. The MFMPC undertakes their responsibilities as part of a broader state and regional framework established under the Emergency Management Act 1986 and is supported by the State Fire Management Planning Committee and the Hume Regional Strategic Fire Management Planning Committee (HRSFMPC). A key responsibility of the MFMPC is the development of a Municipal Fire Management Plan (MFMP) to be considered for endorsement by the Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee (MEMPC) and adopted by Mitchell Shire Council. This plan describes how local authorities, local government, fire agencies and other relevant organisations, work together to effectively anticipate, respond to and recover from bushfire and other fire events affecting Mitchell Shire. This plan also aligns with the Hume Regional Strategic Fire Management Plan 2011-2021. Whilst the management of all types of fires is important, this plan has focused on bushfire in the first instance. The life of this MFMP is for three years and it is envisaged that future updates of the MFMP will include planning for other types for fire i.e. structure fires. It is important to note that the MFMP recognises, but does not duplicate, the extensive work already being undertaken in fire management across the municipality. This document is essentially a plan for improving integration of this existing work and developing improved methods for working together. On behalf of the members of the Mitchell Shire MFMPC, we are confident in commending this document to you. We see the development and implementation of the MFMP as an important step in securing a safer, more resilient community, a healthier environment and a prosperous economy for this municipality. Cr Annie Goble Chair Mitchell Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee Date: 9 September 2020 ii V 5.0 Mitchell Shire Municipal Fire Management Plan Version Control Table Version Date of Authorisation Brief description of change number issue FINAL 16/11/2012 MFMPC Various Version 2 REVIEW General updates to factual 9/12/2015 MFMPC Version 2.1 information Revised Attachment 12 and incl new Update 23/11/2016 MFMPC Attachment 13 V3.0 31/05/2020 MFMPC Draft sent to MFMPC V5.1 19/08/2020 MFMPC Final presented to MFMPC V5.0 19/8/2020 MFMPC Endorsed by MFMPC Presented to MEMPC and adopted V5.0 9/9/2020 MEMPC as a sub-plan to the MEMP Date: 9 September 2020 iii V 5.0 Mitchell Shire Municipal Fire Management Plan Authorisation This MFMP was adopted as the second iteration of the Mitchell Shire MFMP. This Plan was endorsed through a formal motion by the Mitchell Shire MFMPC at their meeting on 19 August 2020, for which the Chair of the committee will sign for and on behalf of all members of the Mitchell Shire MFMPC. Signed: Date: 19 August 2020 Cr Annie Goble Chair Mitchell Shire Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee This MFMP was endorsed as a sub plan to the Mitchell Shire Municipal Emergency Management Plan through a formal motion by the Mitchell Shire MEMPC at their meeting on 9 September 2020, for which the chairperson of the committee will sign for and on behalf of the members of the Mitchell Shire MEMPC. Signed: Date: 9 September 2020 Cr Bill Chisholm Chair Mitchell Shire Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee This MFMP was adopted through a formal motion by Mitchell Shire Council as the MFMP for Mitchell Shire, at their meeting on 9 September 2020, for which the Chief Executive Officer will sign for and on behalf of Mitchell Shire Council. Signed: Date: 9 September 2020 Brett Luxford Chief Executive Officer Mitchell Shire Council Date: 9 September 2020 iv V 5.0 Mitchell Shire Municipal Fire Management Plan The responsibilities and accountabilities attributed to the organisations represented at the Mitchell Shire MFMPC are endorsed by: Country Fire Authority Signed: Date: 19 August 2020 Justin Dally Commander District 12 Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning Signed: Date: 19 August 2020 Ben Giovanetti Senior Emergency Preparedness Officer Victoria Police Signed: Date: 19 August 2020 Clayton Munro Senior Sergeant & Municipal Emergency Response Coordinator Regional Roads Victoria Signed: Date: 19 August 2020 Jeff Blackie Team Leader Assets Delivery Date: 9 September 2020 v V 5.0 Mitchell Shire Municipal Fire Management Plan Table of Contents Part 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Authority for the plan and planning process ............................................................. 3 1.2 Period of the plan .................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Planning process ..................................................................................................... 3 Part 2 Engagement and Communications................................................................... 5 2.1 Stakeholder Analysis ............................................................................................... 5 2.2 Community Engagement ......................................................................................... 7 Part 3 Summary of Environmental Scan ....................................................................11 3.1 Municipal Profile .....................................................................................................11 3.2 Natural Environment...............................................................................................12 Climate and Fire Weather ..............................................................................................13 Bushfire History .............................................................................................................15 3.3 Structure Fire and Hazard Materials .......................................................................16 3.4 Bushfire Risk Landscape ........................................................................................16 Part 4 Municipal Fire Management Objectives ...........................................................18 4.1 Municipal Objectives ..............................................................................................18 4.2 Strategic Direction ..................................................................................................18 4.3 Alignment of Regional and Municipal Objectives ....................................................19 Part 5 Bushfire Management Risk Strategies ............................................................21 5.2 Risk Identification ...................................................................................................22 5.3 Risk Assessment ....................................................................................................22 5.4 Risk Management Strategies .................................................................................23 Municipal Wide Treatments ...........................................................................................23 Asset Specific Treatments .............................................................................................24 5.5 Agency Specific Risk Mitigation Programming........................................................25 Mitchell Shire Council ....................................................................................................25 Country Fire Authority ...................................................................................................29 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning – Forest Fire Management .....32 Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning – Land use planning ...............35 Parks Victoria ................................................................................................................37