Fire and Fire Management

The Fire Danger Period for District 13 has been declared by the Chief Officer of the Country Fire Authority and commenced at 0100hrs on Monday 19 November 2018. Fire Restrictions are now in force. These Restrictions cover the whole of the City of Knox. For further information on Fire Restrictions contact the Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667 or visit the CFA website.

Fire Danger Period
Fire Restrictions are now in force. Knox City Council does not issue permits to burn during the declared Fire Danger Period.

It is an offence to light a fire or allow a fire to remain lit during the declared Fire Danger Period.

Reporting a Burn Off
If you notice someone burning off during the Fire Danger Period call “000”. Council are unable to take action during the Fire Danger Period, it is a matter for the Country Fire Authority and Victoria Police.
Please see the Can I or Can't I? page on the CFA website for further information on what is permitted during the Fire Danger Period and on Days of Total Fire Ban.

The Fire Danger Rating for each weather district is forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology in consultation with fire agencies. The Bureau of Meteorology use predicted weather (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and dryness of vegetation) to set the Fire Danger Rating. The higher the rating the more dangerous the fire conditions are. A ‘Code Red’ Fire Danger Rating is the worst conditions for bushfire. If a Code Red Fire Danger Rating day is declared this will have significant impact on our community as they prepare and take actions against the threat of a bushfire.

How will Council be involved?

Victoria is divided into five Total Fire Ban Districts. A day of Total Fire Ban is only declared in the Districts where hazardous conditions prevail. The Chief Officer of the Country Fire Authority can declare a Total Fire Ban in one District or all Districts and does so to reduce the likelihood of fire starting on these days.

The City of Knox is in the Central Total Fire Ban District. For more information on this and other Districts, visit the Fire Ban Districts page Country Fire Authority website.

Phone 1800 226 226

The VicEmergency Hotline provides information regarding Total Fire Bans, Fire Restrictions and Parks/DELWP prescribed burns, and to provide bushfire preparedness information (brochures and resources) to the community (see below).

Access to this current fire information will greatly assist residents in knowing when to activate their individual bushfire plans that must be prepared prior to high-risk days.

Call takers have access to current fire information directly supplied from Fire Controllers in the field and are also trained to provide advice on appropriate actions to take during a bushfire.

View current warnings and information

Community Information Guides have been developed for identified high risk bushfire locations.

The Community Information Guides provide important direction and information for communities to assist with planning before, during and after a fire. The Country Fire Authority advises that everyone should have a written Bushfire Survival Plan. For more information and to develop your plan, attend a community meeting in your area or see the FireReady Kit, visit the Plan and Prepare page on the Country Fire Authority website.

CFA Community Information Guides are available for the following areas:

Bushfires are an intrinsic part of Victoria's landscape. We all need to learn from the experiences of major bushfires and improve the way we prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from fires.

The Knox Municipal Fire Management Plan, prepared by the Knox Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee, reflects the shared responsibilities of government, fire agencies and communities. It demonstrates a collaborative approach between the responsible agencies and covers both public and private lands.

In this plan, approaches to fire management are framed by the assessment of risk. This includes an analysis of the fire risks and identification of options for positive change. It places greater emphasis on addressing underlying causes and seeking long-term, sustainable solutions that incorporate the four essential elements of Emergency Management of planning, preparedness, response and recovery.

View current warnings and information
View the Municipal Fire Plan