Consultation with communities is a key part in the preparation of these documents ahead of the 2011-12 fire season.
The community consultation program invites communities throughout the Grampians region to review and comment on their draft Plans.
Craig Lapsley said local government, CFA, Victoria Police and the Department of Sustainability and Environment are combining their efforts to engage with the community to seek local knowledge and feedback about the plans. There will be more than 20 community information sessions during September.
“We live in one of the most fire prone areas of the world and the risk of bushfire is very real for this region. More than 30 townships in the area have been identified as high risk and require a Township Protection Plan,” Mr Lapsley said.
“I commend the organisations involved and their approach to working together and with the community to improve how we plan, prepare, respond and recover from bushfires.”
CFA Grampians Regional Manager Don Kelly (who is also the Chair of the Grampians Regional Strategic Fire Management Planning Committee), said MFMPs represent a true collaborative and integrated effort by all organisations responsible for fire planning in the region.
“Through active participation by the fire management sector, government and the community we can improve how we prepare and plan for bushfire,” said Mr Kelly.
“Importantly, we recognise the value of local knowledge and each individual community’s unique understanding of their environment and how this can inform and strengthen our approach to fire planning.”
David Tilson, CFA’s Grampians region Service Delivery Coordinator/BFPP Project Manager, said the community is being given an opportunity to review the draft MFMPs, as well as their local Township Protection Plan.
David said the community is invited to attend any of the four information sessions scheduled for the Ballarat area, to review the draft MFMP and draft Township Protection Plans for Buninyong,
“We really want the community to own these documents because they are about your locality and your protection.“
Each municipal fire plan is now available for review on each respective municipal website, and the consultation program finishes on Sunday 9 October.
Submissions are invited to nominate additions to the asset risk register, implementation of selected treatment options and validation of localised information featured in Township Protection Plans.
The draft MFMPs will be submitted to their councils for consideration by 31 October 2011.
The remaining six shires in the Grampians region, including the Shires of Ararat, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Pyrenees, West Wimmera and Yarriambiack, will undertake a similar community consultation program in 2012.
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