Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC322-4226 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Bushfire Risk Mitigation Plan for Fraser Coast Area Fire Management Group include a schedule of planned engagement activities, or a community engagement sub-plan outlining these activities, and be publicly available. |
REC322-4248 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the prescribed burn program for K’gari be developed by the Department of Environment and Science, in collaboration with the Locality Specific Fire Management Group and the Butchulla people, based on the principles of the National Position on Prescribed Burning. This program should incorporate a process for monitoring and evaluation of outcomes and integration of evolving fire management practices. |
REC322-4227 | 34 - Local knowledge | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the membership of the K’gari Locality Specific Fire Management Group be expanded to include representatives of the Butchulla people, community associations from each township and tourism and business operators with interests on the island. |
REC322-4222 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science undertake a review of campfire locations on K’gari, including all relevant signage on and off the island, maps and visitor permit information, to promote a consistent message about lighting campfires on K’gari. |
REC322-4249 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends all Area Fire Management Groups in Queensland make their Bushfire Risk Mitigation Plans, bushfire risk mapping and methodology easily understood and available to the community. All public plans should be dated to ensure currency and incorporate mechanisms for community feedback. |
REC322-4230 | 34 - Local knowledge | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services engages with land managers and other stakeholders on K’gari to source data to inform Predictive Services products. |
REC322-4221 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Department of Environment and Science implement an awareness and engagement strategy aimed at deterring the lighting of campfires to encourage behavioural change amongst visitors. |
REC322-4250 | 34 - Local knowledge | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Locality Specific Fire Management Group for K’gari meet at least twice per year, in person or virtually. |
REC322-4223 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science implements the proposed treatments for fire identified in the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service K’gari Compliance Strategy. |
REC322-4251 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services facilitate an annual state level exercise of the Queensland Bushfire Plan that includes all relevant stakeholders and land managers. The exercise should focus on roles, responsibilities, interagency arrangements and handover arrangements between agencies and land managers. |
REC322-4242 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science review the format and delivery of Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service annual fire refresher training to include a scenario-based exercise. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC321-4201 | 10 - Infrastructure | We recommend that DELWP improves the Powerline Bushfire Safety Program's transparency by publicly reporting on activities, costs and risk-reduction outcomes. |
REC321-4212 | 34 - Local knowledge | We recommend that DELWP increases its collaboration with Victorian Traditional Owner groups to facilitate the reintroduction of cultural burning and ensure effective support for these practices across all of its regions. |
REC321-4202 | 10 - Infrastructure | We recommend that DELWP investigates incentives and advises government on options to accelerate burying and insulating the remaining high-voltage bare-wire powerlines in the 33 highest risk areas. |
REC321-4214 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | We recommend that DELWP determines which elements of different regional planning approaches are the most effective and implements these across the state. |
REC321-4203 | 9 - Community education | We recommend that DELWP provides advice to government, in consultation with Country Fire Authority, Fire Rescue Victoria and councils, on options to improve owner and occupier awareness of and accountability for bushfire management overlay planning controls (see Section 4.3). |
REC321-4215 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | We recommend that DELWP develops more holistic bushfire-management planning that focuses on the best mix of risk treatments rather than planned burning alone. |
REC321-4204 | 4 - Fire season preparation | We recommend that DEWLP and CFA (in consultation with FRV) in partnership with councils, provide advice to government in line with the Safer Together: A new approach to reducing the risk of bushfire in Victoria policy on options to better resource the assessment of risk on private land, its treatment and activities to enforce compliance of land owners with risk-reduction treatments. |
REC321-4217 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | We recommend that DELWP in partnership with Country Fire Authority and Fire Rescue Victoria develops, implements and publicly reports on a holistic suite of performance metrics to demonstrate: - the impact that planned burning has on public and private land on bushfire risk - the impact that planned burning has on public and private land on ecosystem resilience - the impact that non-burn fuel management activities have on public and private land on bushfire risk - the impact that its activities at local and regional levels have on bushfire risk - the cost-effectiveness of its fuel management activities on public and private land. |
REC321-4211 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | We recommend that CFA (in consultation with FRV) improves planning on private land to ensure risk assessments and plans are conducted consistently across public and private land to address state-wide bushfire risk based on where and how they can most effectively reduce risk. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC319-4186 | 34 - Local knowledge | Supporting local recovery: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department work with councils and communities before, during and after emergencies to strengthen: |
REC319-4193 | 9 - Community education | Public communications: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria and the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department, coordinate ongoing education campaigns to increase public awareness of community roles and responsibilities during periods of emergency relief and recovery. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC318-4179 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in accepting that emergency management is a ‘shared responsibility’ - collaborate with the emergency management sector and community to: |
REC318-4175 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) – supported by other organisations with a legislated responsibility for fuel management – plan for and increase the application of non-burning fuel management treatments including mechanical means. The annual fuel management report should include the non-burn component of fuel management treatment, track annual change, and provide a comparison to the previous three years. |
REC318-4174 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) – with support from all legislated fuel management organisations for public and private land – lead a community engagement process to improve the Victorian community’s understanding of: |
REC318-4186 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in collaboration with the emergency management sector – develops and implements processes to ensure greater dissemination and improved understanding of information for all Victorians, and visitors to Victoria in an emergency event. This should consider but not be exclusive to individuals who: |
REC318-4170 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that responder agencies and Emergency Management Victoria review preparedness arrangements to ensure procedural documentation (including plans), recruitment, briefings and training are completed before significant seasonal events are likely to occur. Seasonal preparedness should culminate in attestations of assurance to confirm that: |
REC318-4185 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria works with the emergency management sector and relevant emergency management entities in New South Wales and South Australia to identify and address key cross border operational and resource management issues. This engagement should aim to enhance interoperability and maximise the capability and capacity of agencies to work together during emergencies along Victoria’s borders. |
REC318-4184 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria collaborate with the emergency management sector to develop a capacity model that considers current and future: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC307-2428 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | The future risk of bushfires to Queensland communities should be re-evaluated as part of the 2020 State Risk Assessment in light of recent and emerging science, events and lessons. |
REC307-2436 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | The outputs of these capabilities should be shared and actively inform the disaster management sector, including response operations and the creation of warnings and public messaging. |
REC307-2433 | 24 - Govt responsibility | To make planned burning and land clearing easier to understand and implement for landholders, a single point of contact for all bushfire mitigation inquiries and permits should be established. |
REC307-2448 | 9 - Community education | Targeted education about the short- and long-term effects of chemical suppressants should reach those likely to be exposed to them before aerial chemical suppressants are used in Queensland again. |
REC307-2431 | 9 - Community education | Area Fire Management Groups should share seasonal risk information with local groups and actively and appropriately contribute to disaster management planning. |
REC307-2447 | 9 - Community education | Clear public messaging regarding risks (if any) from the use of suppressants, including to 'organic' producers, should be developed and socialised before the next fire season and be readily available for dissemination when needed. |
REC307-2430 | 9 - Community education | All Area Fire Management Groups should adopt and be guided by a good neighbour policy. |
REC307-2444 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | All disaster management groups should run an exercise that has full involvement of a hazard-specific primary agency in the next 12 months and regularly thereafter. |
REC307-2429 | 9 - Community education | A good neighbour policy such as that of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, setting out clear expectations, be developed to guide all landholders. |
REC307-2439 | 9 - Community education | Education on bushfires should include information about: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC299-1348 | 4 - Fire season preparation | In keeping with the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission’s findings and recommendations, human life has primacy in bushfire‑related regulations and it is important that this is maintained in the implementation of bushfire management overlays and relevant vegetation removal exemptions should reflect the primacy of human life. |
REC299-1347 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | In order to manage a reduced time window available to undertake the current types of planned burns, alternative methods, including the indigenous mosaic ‘cool’ burns, should be examined and trialled as they may extend the period in which planned burns can be undertaken while reducing overall risk and fuel loads. |
REC299-1341 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That in conjunction with a risk‑based approach, a minimum hectare target is also maintained that can be measured and compared. This minimum target should not be below the 5% target established by the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC270-1147 | 9 - Community education | improves engagement with communities to prepare for and respond to bushfires by: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC264-1083 | 9 - Community education | The State, led by Emergency Management Victoria, develop a community engagement model for emergency management to ensure all State agencies and local governments engage with communities and already identifed trusted networks as an integral component of emergency management planning. |
REC264-1073 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The State establish, for any future incident, integrated incident management teams with GDF Suez and other Victorian essential industry providers, to: • essential industry providers; and require that emergency services personnel work with GDF Suez and other appropriate • implement the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System. |
REC264-1085 | 10 - Infrastructure | GDF Suez establish enhanced back-up power supply arrangements that do not depend wholly on mains power, to: • ensure that the Emergency Command Centre can continue to operate if mains power is lost; and • ensure that the reticulated fre services water system can operate with minimal disruption if mains power is lost. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC241-1001 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the extent of forest and plantation fuel load fire risk in South East Queensland requires a designated government resources fire team to manage this risk and proactively conduct fuel mitigation burning; and provide a wildfire response to government land. |
REC241-0965 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | That the number of Bushfire Safety Officer positions be, over time, increased so that one BSO operates out of each District office. |
REC241-0994 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the Rural Fire Service Queensland needs to provide greater emphasis and acknowledgement of the use of fire as a tool in sustainable land management. |
REC241-1000 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the provisions of the Vegetation Management Act 1999 should be clarified to ensure that effective and accessible firebreaks or fire control lines are established in order that assets can be protected. The decision on the construction of these firebreaks and fire control lines is to be made by the landowner in conjunctions with the local Rural Fire Brigade or Fire Warden |
REC241-0954 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That a Ministerial Advisory Council be established to inform the Minister of matters relating to Rural Fire Service and SES volunteers. |
REC241-0992 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That District Inspectors be responsible for consultation with Fire Wardens during the development of District fire management plans. |
REC241-0998 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That Rural Fire Service Queensland instigates a hazard mitigation operational period, (E.G. Operation Cold Burn), at suitable times each year as appropriate by area. |
REC241-1022 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | That Rural Fire Service Queensland in consultation with the Rural Fire Brigades Association Queensland will undertake a full review of the medical and health protocols to support the new Volunteer organisation. |
REC241-0991 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That annual planning be undertaken at each level that addresses hazard actions across all disaster management phases (ie: prevention, preparation, response and recovery), with a focus on vegetation and land management. This planning is to be consistent with the hazard- specific planning envisaged under the Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements and be supported by guidelines to be developed and issued by Rural Fire Service Queensland. District plans are to be approved by the Director- General or equivalent for the Department of Community Safety and will inform a State Wildfire Management Plan to be approved by the State Disaster Management Group. |
REC241-0997 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the electronic fire permit system used in the Mackay District be made available across the state for Fire Wardens who wish to use it. |
REC241-1015 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | That the First Officer or Brigade Officer retain the ability to seek assistance from any person whose services are available at the fire. Any person appointed to provide this assistance should be protected under relevant Workplace Health and Safety and Workcover legislation. |
REC241-0979 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Queensland Government liaise with the Federal Government with a view to securing incentives for employers that recognise loss of income and employee time for emergency operations. |
REC241-0996 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That Section 66 (2) of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990 relating to the exemption for issuing of permits to burn in State Forests, National Parks and Reserves is withdrawn and Departments must work within the District Fire Management Plan. |
REC241-1004 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That a memorandum of understanding be developed between RFSQ and other organisations with fire fighting capacity at state level, to establish operational procedures when these organisations may be required for a joint response roles. Specifically, the intent will be: Vegetation Fire in a Rural Area: The Rural Fire Brigade in that area (boundary) is in charge and is the first Brigade called by Firecom. Structural Fire in a Rural Area: Firecom calls the Urban Brigade first and they control the incident. Local Rural Fire Brigade must also be notified by Firecom at the same time. Vegetation Fire in an Urban Levy Area: Firecom call the local Urban Brigade first and they control the incident. At their discretion they may call Rural Fire Brigades for assistance. Structural Fire in an Urban Levy Area: Firecom call the local Urban Brigade first and they control the incident. |
REC241-0968 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That a Mitigation Officer position be created to assist the District offices and District Fire Management Groups (refer to Recommendations 40 to 46) in developing their fire management plans and to ensure mitigation work is being conducted. |
REC241-0995 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | At the next reprint of the ‘Permit to Light Fire’ book, the requirement to notify neighbours when applying for a permit is reinstated to properly reflect the requirement under the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC196-0238 | 34 - Local knowledge | Encourage ICCs to use local knowledge to review templates prior to release. |
REC196-0234 | 34 - Local knowledge | Ensure that local knowledge, local flavour and local language is used where possible in the development of all community bushfire warnings. |
REC196-0230 | 9 - Community education | Explain the meaning of ‘timely, relevant and tailored’ community bushfire warnings through training and meetings particularly of Information Section staff and Incident Controllers. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC195-0334 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Fire Services Commissioner leads a task force to: a. identify legislation, policies and guidelines that impact on vegetation management and recommend necessary changes b. develop a set of risk-based standards for vegetation management with respect to strategic firebreaks and the assets being protected c. integrate maintenance standards across all areas of responsibility and tenure. |
REC195-0333 | 9 - Community education | The Fire Services identify opportunities for the community to learn about, engage with and influence local emergency management planning. |
REC195-0332 | 9 - Community education | The Fire Services, in consultation with the community, develop a methodology for measuring community preparedness. They should also develop tailored education and information sharing opportunities to improve community understanding of bushfire risk, mitigation and preparedness. |
REC195-0327 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire Services Commissioner ensures that the inter-relationship between Information Sections at all levels is understood. |
REC195-0337 | 9 - Community education | DSE enhance community engagement programs in East Gippsland to ensure that local communities are more informed about the complexities and interdependencies of prescribed burning and encourage local input. |
REC195-0318 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire Services develop a joint protocol for each Fire Service to notify the other of fires reported from fire towers |
REC195-0335 | 10 - Infrastructure | Energy Safe Victoria ensures that the standards for vegetation clearance around power lines consider the impact of fire on electrical infrastructure and the risk of loss of electricity supply to the community. |
REC195-0309 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire Services, and other emergency management agencies, use the Tostaree fire as a scenario exercise to improve understanding of fast-running fires and enhance interoperability and control strategies |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC191-0267 | 9 - Community education | that the Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Local Government and Special Minister of State establish with local government a communication strategy to inform all residents about their fire prevention responsibilities. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC181-0178 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State (through Energy Safe Victoria) require distribution businesses to change their asset inspection standards and procedures to require that all SWER lines and all 22-kilovolt feeders in areas of high bushfire risk are inspected at least every three years. |
REC181-0203 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The State amend s. 32 of the Sale of Land Act 1962 to require that a vendor’s statement include whether the land is in a designated Bushfire-prone Area, a statement about the standard (if any) to which the dwelling was constructed, the bushfire attack level assessment at the time of construction (where relevant) and a current bushfire attack level assessment of the site of the dwelling. |
REC181-0174 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment amend their procedures for investigating safety incidents and ‘near-misses’ to ensure that all dangerous incidents, including back-burns, are fully investigated and that all relevant people are consulted and informed of the results. |
REC181-0180 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State amend the regulatory framework for electricity safety to require that distribution businesses adopt, as part of their management plans, measures to reduce the risks posed by hazard trees—that is, trees that are outside the clearance zone but that could come into contact with an electric power line having regard to foreseeable local conditions. |
REC181-0189 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The State amend the Victoria Planning Provisions relating to bushfire to ensure that the provisions give priority to the protection of human life, adopt a clear objective of substantially restricting development in the areas of highest bushfire risk—giving due consideration to biodiversity conservation—and provide clear guidance for decision makers. The amendments should take account of the conclusions reached by the Commission and do the following: ■ outline the State’s objectives for managing bushfire risk through land-use planning in an amended state planning policy for bushfire, as set out in clause 15.07 of the Victoria Planning Provisions; ■ allow municipal councils to include a minimum lot size for use of land for a dwelling, both with and without a permit, in a schedule to each of the Rural Living Zone, Green Wedge Zone, Green Wedge A Zone, Rural Conservation Zone, Farming Zone and Rural Activity Zone; ■ amend clause 44.06 of the Victoria Planning Provisions to provide a comprehensive Bushfire-prone Overlay provision. |
REC181-0211 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The State and Commonwealth provide for municipal councils adequate guidance on resolving the competing tensions arising from the legislation affecting roadside clearing and, where necessary, amend environment protection legislation to facilitate annual bushfire-prevention activities by the appropriate agencies. |
REC181-0176 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment adopt the title ‘safety officer’ (as opposed to ‘safety adviser’) and require without exception that a safety officer be appointed to every level 3 incident management team. |
REC181-0182 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State (through Energy Safe Victoria) require distribution businesses to do the following: ■ disable the reclose function on the automatic circuit reclosers on all SWER lines for the six weeks of greatest risk in every fire season; ■ adjust the reclose function on the automatic circuit reclosers on all 22-kilovolt feeders on all total fire ban days to permit only one reclose attempt before lockout. |
REC181-0196 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The State develop and implement a retreat and resettlement strategy for existing developments in areas of unacceptably high bushfire risk, including a scheme for non-compulsory acquisition by the State of land in these areas. |
REC181-0152 | 9 - Community education | The State revise the approach to community bushfire safety education in order to: ■ ensure that its publications and educational materials reflect the revised bushfire safety policy; ■ equip all fire agency personnel with the information needed to effectively communicate the policy to the public as required; ■ ensure that in content and delivery the program is flexible enough to engage individuals, households and communities and to accommodate their needs and circumstances; ■ regularly evaluate the effectiveness of community education programs and amend them as necessary. |
REC181-0183 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State (through Energy Safe Victoria) require distribution businesses to do the following: ■ fit spreaders to any lines with a history of clashing or the potential to do so; ■ fit or retrofit all spans that are more than 300 metres long with vibration dampers as soon as is reasonably practicable. |
REC181-0201 | 9 - Community education | The Victorian Building Commission, in conjunction with the Country Fire Authority, develop, publish and provide to the community and industry information about ways in which existing buildings in bushfire-prone areas can be modified to incorporate bushfire safety measures. |
REC181-0172 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment standardise their operating systems and information and communications technologies with the aim of achieving greater efficiency and interoperability between agencies. |
REC181-0179 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State (through Energy Safe Victoria) require distribution businesses to review and modify their current practices, standards and procedures for the training and auditing of asset inspectors to ensure that registered training organisations provide adequate theoretical and practical training for asset inspectors. |
REC181-0188 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The State implement a regional settlement policy that: ■ takes account of the management of bushfire risk, including that associated with small, undeveloped rural lots; ■ includes a process for responding to bushfire risk at the planning stage for new urban developments in regional cities, the process being similar to that used for new developments in Melbourne’s Urban Growth Zone. |
REC181-0210 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The State amend the exemptions in clause 52.17-6 of the Victoria Planning Provisions to ensure that the provisions allow for a broad range of roadside works capable of reducing fire risk and provide specifically for a new exemption where the purpose of the works is to reduce bushfire risk. |
REC181-0194 | 9 - Community education | The Country Fire Authority produce for community guidance material on fire-resistant landscape and garden design, including a list of fire-resistant species. |
REC181-0200 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Standards Australia move expeditiously to develop a standard for bushfire sprinklers and sprayers. |
REC181-0207 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The Department of Sustainability and Environment report annually on prescribed burning outcomes in a manner that meets public accountability objectives, including publishing details of targets, area burnt, funds expended on the program, and impacts on biodiversity. |
REC181-0192 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Department of Sustainability and Environment develop and administer a collective offset solution for individual landholders who are permitted to remove native vegetation for the purpose of fire protection. |
REC181-0199 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The State modify its adoption of the Building Code of Australia for the following purposes: ■ to remove deemed-to-satisfy provisions for the construction of buildings in BAL-FZ (the Flame Zone); ■ to apply bushfire construction provisions to non-residential buildings that will be occupied by people who are particularly vulnerable to bushfire attack, such as schools, child care centres, hospitals and aged care facilities; ■ other than in exceptional circumstances, to apply a minimum AS 3959-2009 construction level of BAL-12.5 to all new buildings and extensions in bushfire-prone areas. |
REC181-0206 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The State fund and commit to implementing a long-term program of prescribed burning based on an annual rolling target of 5 per cent minimum of public land. |
REC181-0191 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The State: ■ amend the Victoria Planning Provisions to require that, when assessing a permit to remove native vegetation around an existing dwelling, the responsible authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment, as referral authority, take into account fire hazard and give weight to fire protection purposes; ■ develop guidelines for determining the maximum level of native vegetation removal for bushfire risk mitigation, beyond which level the application would be rejected. |
REC181-0177 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State amend the Regulations under Victoria’s Electricity Safety Act 1998 and otherwise take such steps as may be required to give effect to the following: ■ the progressive replacement of all SWER (single-wire earth return) power lines in Victoria with aerial bundled cable, underground cabling or other technology that delivers greatly reduced bushfire risk. The replacement program should be completed in the areas of highest bushfire risk within 10 years and should continue in areas of lower bushfire risk as the lines reach the end of their engineering lives; ■ the progressive replacement of all 22-kilovolt distribution feeders with aerial bundled cable, underground cabling or other technology that delivers greatly reduced bushfire risk as the feeders reach the end of their engineering lives. Priority should be given to distribution feeders in the areas of highest bushfire risk. |
REC181-0198 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Australian Building Codes Board do the following: ■ amend the performance requirements in the Building Code of Australia to ensure that they incorporate reducing the risk of ignition from ember attack; ■ work with Standards Australia to effect expeditious continuing review and development of AS 3959, Construction of Buildings in Bushfire-prone Areas, and other bushfire-related standards referred to in the Building Code of Australia; ■ negotiate with Standards Australia and SAI Global Ltd an arrangement for free online access to AS 3959-2009, Construction of Buildings in Bushfire-prone Areas, the other Australian standards referred to in AS 3959-2009, and any other bushfire-related Australian standards referred to in the Building Code of Australia; ■ amend the Building Code of Australia to remove deemed-to-satisfy provisions for the construction of buildings in BAL-FZ (the Flame Zone); ■ include in the Building Code of Australia bushfire construction provisions for non-residential buildings that will be occupied by people who are particularly vulnerable to bushfire attack, such as schools, child care centres, hospitals and aged care facilities. |
REC181-0157 | 9 - Community education | The Commonwealth lead an initiative through the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management, facilitated by Emergency Management Australia, to develop a national bushfire awareness campaign. |
REC181-0184 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State amend the regulatory framework for electricity safety to strengthen Energy Safe Victoria’s mandate in relation to the prevention and mitigation of electricity-caused bushfires and to require it to fulfil that mandate. |
REC181-0205 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The State initiate the development of education and training options to improve understanding of bushfire risk management in the building and planning regimes by: ■ providing regular training and guidance material to planning and building practitioners; ■ providing regular training and guidance material to planning and building practitioners. |
REC181-0190 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Country Fire Authority amend its guidelines for assessing permit applications for dwellings, nondwellings and subdivisions in the Bushfire-prone Overlay in order to accommodate the amendments to the Wildfire Management Overlay that are implemented as a result of recommendation 39 and make the guidelines available to municipal councils and the public. The revised guidelines should do the following: ■ substantially restrict new developments and subdivisions in those areas of highest risk in the Bushfire-prone Overlay; ■ set out the CFA’s guidelines for assessing permit applications for dwellings, non-dwellings and subdivisions—including the minimum defendable space requirements for different risk levels; ■ clarify that the CFA will approve new developments and subdivisions only if the recommended bushfire protection measures—including the minimum defendable space—can be created and maintained on a continuing basis; ■ clarify that the CFA will approve new developments and subdivisions only if the recommended bushfire protection measures—including the minimum defendable space—can be created and maintained on a continuing basis; ■ emphasise the need for enduring permit conditions—in particular, conditions for the creation and maintenance of minimum defendable space to be maintained for the life of the development. |
REC181-0212 | 4 - Fire season preparation | VicRoads implement a systematic statewide program of bushfire risk assessment for all roads for which it is responsible, to ensure conformity with the obligations in s. 43 of the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and with the objectives expressed in the VicRoads 1985 Code of Practice. |
REC181-0197 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Standards Australia do the following: ■ amend the objective of AS 3959-2009, Construction of Buildings in Bushfire-prone Areas, to ensure that it incorporates reducing the risk of ignition from ember attack; ■ review, and amend as appropriate, the testing methods prescribed in its standards for Tests on Elements of Construction for Buildings Exposed to Simulated Bushfire Attack (AS 1530.8.1 and AS 1530.8.2) to ensure that, so far as is possible, the methods provide a reliable predictor of the performance of construction elements under bushfire conditions. |
REC181-0156 | 9 - Community education | Victoria lead an initiative of the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs to ensure that the national curriculum incorporates the history of bushfire in Australia and that existing curriculum areas such as geography, science and environmental studies include elements of bushfire education. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC155-3473 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Victorian Government expedite the implementation of its 2006 election commitment to provide four wheel drive clubs with access to management vehicle only tracks. |
REC155-3465 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That in order to enhance the protection of community and ecological assets, the Department of Sustainability and Environment increase its annual prescribed burning target from 130,000 hectares to 385,000 hectares. This should be treated as a rolling target, with any shortfalls to be made up in subsequent years. |
REC155-3483 | 9 - Community education | That the Department of Sustainability and Environment and its partner agencies continue to develop a proactive approach to engagement with the local and wider media to achieve continuous improvement in the standard of community information and education. |
REC155-3464 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the Department of Sustainability and Environment implement remote sensing imagery as a routine part of its pre-burn and post-burn assessment process for prescribed burning. Maps of every prescribed burn should be produced in a similar format to those used in Western Australia, indicating the boundary of each burn and the varying fire intensities achieved within the burn area. The boundaries of all Fuel Management Zones within each burn should also be indicated. |
REC155-3480 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the Integrated Fire Management Planning framework establish zones in the interface between public and private land in which bushfire risk management is the shared responsibility of the Victorian Government and private landholders. |
REC155-3475 | 9 - Community education | That in relation to Fire Operations Plans, the Department Sustainability and Environment extends the number of community meetings during the public consultation period to a minimum of one meeting for each Fire District, with the possibility of repeat visits to particular areas. |
REC155-3474 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Victorian Government consider all available means, consistent with conservation values, for substantially increasing the access of apiarists to the public land estate. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC154-3459 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | To improve response preparedness, DPI should clearly link the selection of simulation exercises to the risk management framework to target coverage of high risks. |
REC154-3462 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | DPI should formalise the approach and framework for evaluating simulation exercises and response to Emergency Animal Disease incidents with guidelines to define the nature of the review process. This should include: |
REC154-3461 | 24 - Govt responsibility | DPI should develop an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Human Services that capitalises on and strengthens the current good working relationship to support joint forward planning and risk management and mitigates against relationship failure in the event of leadership change. The MOU should clarify: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC150-3122 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | QFRS implement a system to monitor the condition and safety of brigade buildings and equipment. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC132-3597 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Investigate engaging with other agencies involved in emergency management including SES, VicRoads, VicPolice, OESC and DHS to establish a single united emergency information line for Victoria that can be used to provide information to the public from all agencies involved. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC124-3889 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Develop a component of the DSE Workforce Strategy to build organisational capacity and sustainability of the prescribed burning program across the networked emergency organisation: |
REC124-3885 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | Align policies and processes, within the year round 365 day focus on fire management, to provide consistency in the approach to fire regardless of its origins,- that is fuel reduction burning, regeneration and ecological burning or unplanned fire; |
REC124-3884 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | Develop new prescriptions for prescribed burning to accommodate local conditions in those areas where standard prescriptions are assessed to be inappropriate: |
REC124-3883 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Integrate information management systems relating to the prescribed burning program to provide consistency across the networked emergency organisation: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC112-3933 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That DPI formalises agreements between divisions and groups that allow staff to be involved in incursion responses and reflects this requirement in individual duty statements. |
REC112-3920 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That better use be made of Primary Industries Research Victoria's (PIRVIC) facilities by strengthening links with relevant groups of expertise, such as the Forest Science Centre. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC104-2207 | 9 - Community education | That the Coordinator-in-Chief of Emergency Management directs that all emergency management agencies review, by June 2004, terminology and language in current communication and public education material to ensure it is clear, easily understood and consistent, particularly with regard to fire. |
REC104-2247 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That an appropriately resourced, national aerial firefighting strategy is urgently required, and that the Victorian Government make representations to the Commonwealth to support the Australasian Fire Authorities Council recommendations |
REC104-2323 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That CFA, DSE, MFESB, VICSES, Victoria Police and OESC, in consultation with the Municipal Association of Victoria, consult on the proposal to combine Municipal Councils’ current responsibilities for the development of an emergency management plan/committee, as required by the Emergency Management Act 1986 and a fire prevention plan/committee as required by the Country Fire Authority Act 1958. |
REC104-2212 | 9 - Community education | That Community Fireguard Group co-ordinators’ names are supplied to their local municipality for the 2003-2004 fire season, and are updated annually for use in information exchange should a Municipal Emergency Co-ordination Centre or Incident Control Centre be established. |
REC104-2265 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That in the review of Incident Control Centre locations, DSE and CFA give due consideration to: |
REC104-2230 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That DSE investigates whether such agreements should exist with other government Departments and agencies, particularly those with officers located in rural Victoria who may be involved in fire response and support operations in the future, based on their expertise and experience. |
REC104-2295 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That more emphasis should be given to communication and discussion in regard to State Aircraft Unit’s roles, responsibilities, practices and procedures. |
REC104-2206 | 9 - Community education | That CFA and MFESB: |
REC104-2246 | 34 - Local knowledge | That DSE undertake community consultation on policies relating to roads and access tracks on public land, particularly in respect to fire management. |
REC104-2322 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That DSE commits appropriate resources to work with OESC in developing the bushfire component of the model. |
REC104-2211 | 9 - Community education | That CFA clarifies and restates the roles and function of existing Community Fireguard Groups (including their relationship to the Municipal Fire Prevention Plan) to members, co-ordinators, Incident Controllers and Municipal Emergency Resource Officers, prior to the 2003-2004 fire season. |
REC104-2256 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the State Emergency Operations Centre develop and maintain strong and close links with the State Emergency Response Coordination Centre, if collocation is not possible. |
REC104-2336 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That OESC work with the fire agencies in developing implementation strategies for recommendations agreed by Government. |
REC104-2225 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Victoria Emergency Management Council establish a sub-committee by June 2004 to ensure an all-agency and appropriate industries’ policy framework is developed and agreed in respect to the planning for fire prevention, mitigation and suppression. |
REC104-2283 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That DSE, CFA, MFESB and VICSES work cooperatively to establish a common system for resource tracking during major fires and incidents. |
REC104-2205 | 9 - Community education | That CFA should remain the lead agency in delivering the community education and information program to rural Victoria. |
REC104-2239 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That any local level agreements developed to address geographically specific risks or issues must be consistent with State-level arrangements. |
REC104-2321 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Government confirms that the Model of Fire Cover/Fire Safety Victoria strategy should be a seamless model for the whole of the State and include both private and public land. |
REC104-2210 | 9 - Community education | That CFA reports to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services on recommended solutions and implementation strategies for isolated small communities by June 2004. |
REC104-2255 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the options of collocating the State Emergency Response Coordination Centre with the new State Emergency Operations Centre |
REC104-2335 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | That the fire agencies develop a program to significantly increase the amount of joint training and exercises undertaken. |
REC104-2223 | 10 - Infrastructure | That Government review legislation for utilities operating within the State to ensure their involvement in regional fire preparedness and mitigation planning. |
REC104-2270 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | That DSE and CFA continue to stress firefighter safety as their highest priority for incident managers and fire ground supervisors |
REC104-2204 | 9 - Community education | That the three fire agencies (CFA, DSE and MFESB) develop and implement a joint Statewide fire awareness education and information program aimed at encouraging a higher degree of personal and household self-reliance. |
REC104-2238 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That the Victorian fire agencies negotiate with their counterparts in New South Wales and South Australia to put in place agreements for mutual aid and the development of cross border strategy for the management of fires burning in the vicinity of, or across, State borders, and these agreements are reviewed annually. |
REC104-2317 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That DSE, with adequate resourcing, moves to a 12-month cycle of fire management to establish and maintain a more appropriate and balanced work program of prevention/mitigation and suppression. |
REC104-2209 | 9 - Community education | That CFA, in conjunction with isolated small communities, develop and promote a suite of appropriate fire readiness and fire management strategies to meet their needs. |
REC104-2254 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That a single state-of-the-art all hazards State Emergency Operations Centre be established for Victoria. This could, if necessary, be implemented in stages, initially incorporating DSE, CFA, MFESB and the State Aircraft Unit. |
REC104-2331 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That a State Emergency Operations Centre be established to replace the existing separate fire agency centres. This could, if necessary, be initially confined to being a State Fire Operations Centre as recommended in Chapter 18, Part D. |
REC104-2214 | 9 - Community education | That CFA, recognising the value of the Community Fireguard Group program, undertake a review by June 2004 to identify opportunities to further develop the program to ensure its continuing appropriateness in preparing communities for fire into the future. |
REC104-2268 | 9 - Community education | That CFA and DSE include agreed Fire Control Priorities in community awareness and education material provided to the community before each fire season. |
REC104-2192 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That, according to available scientific evidence, a decision regarding cattle grazing in the High Country should not be based on the argument that ‘grazing prevents blazing.’ |
REC104-2233 | 34 - Local knowledge | That communities, public land managers, Water Authorities and Catchment Management Authorities jointly identify and implement local and environmentally sound solutions to improve the availability of water for firefighting through the Municipal Fire Management Planning process. |
REC104-2315 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Privacy Commissioner be asked for advice in the development of this model. |
REC104-2208 | 9 - Community education | That CFA and MFESB encourage householders to review their fire safety plan annually. |
REC104-2250 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | That DSE and CFA work in cooperation with the Municipal Emergency Response Coordinators to develop and conduct joint exercises that practise the skills and test procedures for operations of the Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre, Municipal Recovery Centre and Incident Control Centres. |
REC104-2325 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That CFA, DSE and MFESB continue to develop the partnership approach for fire safety with Local Government, industry and communities. |
REC104-2213 | 9 - Community education | That CFA provides technical advice to Community Fireguard Groups in the selection and purchase of appropriate equipment and protective clothing for use on their own land. |
REC104-2266 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That DSE and CFA review their joint planning for Incident Control Centres to ensure that, wherever safe and practicable, those Centres are located close to the fire area. |
REC104-2189 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That DSE and CFA as part of their long term planning, and in conjunction with the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, consider ways in which evidence for climate change and El Niño–Southern Oscillation cycle impacts on the likelihood of unplanned fire, can be better incorporated into preparedness and response planning. |
REC104-2232 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Government in the development of its statewide water policy includes appropriate consideration of access to water for firefighting. |
REC104-2303 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Interstate Agreements prepared by the fire agencies be reviewed to include protocols for the joint release of consistent and appropriate information relating to fires burning across State borders. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC016_3951 | 10 - Infrastructure | It is recommended that the State Electricity Commission adopt a policy of conciliation and good will towards its closer neighbours. It is not suggested that its policy has been essentially otherwise. In future that policy can best be assured of success by time conferring of material benefit upon its neighbours at some monetary cost to the Commission. It is suggested, with conviction, that it would prove to be of great advantage to time Commission if it were to take an active part in the clearing and bettering of its neighbours’ scrub and timber country at time cost of the Commission. The settler whose land is fully cleared and in production, or who knows that his land will be cleared for him, has no incentive to burn illegally or carelessly. If this suggestion should he adopted, it would be necessary that it should be carried out in all cases in accordance with the settler’s convenience, that he himself should take an active part in the operations, and that he should be left, not with a financial obligation, but with a definite material advantage. |
REC016_3950 | 4 - Fire season preparation | It is recommended that on days of abnormal danger loads of briquettes be not kept in the station yard. The real danger, which transcends in gravity the danger of time destruction of loads of briquettes, is that the prevailing wind or a change of wind might carry showers of burning embers to the town, which is but the width of a road away, and thereby cause material damage in the town. It is further recommended that the yard and its surroundings be kept clear of scrub and growth; and that special provision be made for quelling fire which may break out in the deposits of inflammable dust which lie in time yard. |
REC016_3947 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | It is recommended that the services of this body [Air Raids Precautions Body] be used in future if to do so be thought desirable. |
REC016_3944 | 10 - Infrastructure | It is recommended that the water pressure be improved so that a greater volume and jet may be available for the suppression of fires on the faces and also for the purpose of wetting the berms more widely and thoroughly when necessary. It is suggested that there should be variable control of the pressure so that production need not be adversely affected in times of normal danger. |
REC016_3953 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | It is therefore recommended that the State Electricity Commission should be advised by someone whose profession it is to consider and devise methods of forest fire protection and suppression; that he should collaborate with others to devise a general scheme of organized protection of the undertaking and township of Yallourn; and that above all, he should have direct access to the Commissioners themselves, lest his advice should lose something of its strength and reality in its journey through the “proper channels” of the Commission’s organization. |
REC016_3943 | 10 - Infrastructure | It is recommended that a more constant, running revision of the main and sprinkler system be maintained in future so that the service which it is intended to convey shall be closely and efficiently available to all parts of the berms and faces. It is emphasized that the reticulation system in the berms is fixed and stationary, whereas the faces are continually receding as their surfaces are scraped away by the dredges. |
REC016_3952 | 4 - Fire season preparation | It is recommended that the question of the future responsibility be made certain and that the body so made responsible keep the grounds of the hospital free from undergrowth and trees wherever their presence may be a possible source of future danger. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC015_3956 | 24 - Govt responsibility | It is strongly recommended that no public department of possible combination of public departments interested in forests should be permitted to gain control of this authority. |
REC015_3954 | 24 - Govt responsibility | It is recommended that each public department or body which may now or hereafter control forest areas be allowed to pursue its own policy of fire prevention and suppression. As each such body is responsible directly or indirectly to Parliament it must be allowed to carry its responsibility in its own manner. It is strongly recommended that no such department be given authority over any other body in matters relating to fire prevention or suppression. If it is ultimately shown that a department is unfit to discharge the duty involved other measures may be taken. |