Appliances can cause house fires THE CFA wants to make residents do not “power a house fire” through appliances overheating or being damaged. CFA manager community safety Jude Kennedy said using damaged electrical equipment and appliances could result in fires urged that they be checked before being plugged in. “People need to remember that when electrical appliances are left on for an extended period of time they could overheat and have disastrous effects,” Mr Kennedy said. “We are urging residents to check their electrical appliances, including laptops and televisions, which are highly used in homes. “Make sure you turn off and unplug your electrical appliances before going to bed and when leaving your home unattended.” Electrical appliances safety tips: Follow manufacturers’ instructions when using any electrical appliance. Use low wattage globes in lamps. Ensure monitors, laptops, televisions and other equipment have good air flow around them and are not in confined spaces or covered. Turn off all electrical appliances at the power point when not in use. Only use certified electrical tradespeople to repair damaged or faulty electrical appliances, wiring or equipment. Avoid using double adaptors. Use power boards according to manufacturers’ instructions, never overload and check regularly for damage. Meanwhile, on another fire front, expressions of interest are being from anyone interested in joining the Bushfire Strategy Advisory Group. Agencies that manage bushfire risk in Victoria
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are developing the next strategic bushfire management plan for the greater Melbourne region and calling upon those affected by bushfire or interested in bushfire management to nominate to be a part of the advisory group that will help shape the plan. “Bushfires are a part of life in Victoria. Our changing climate means our bushfire threat is constantly increasing,” Forest Fire Management Victoria regional manager, forest and fire planning, Shannon Devenish said. “Our community is filled with many diverse voices and we want to ensure we are listening to all stakeholders as we develop the next generation of planning for bushfire risk in our region. “Many people are invested in our bushfire prevention works, whether by smoke from planned burning affecting their business activities, or by living in a high bushfire risk area. It’s important to us these groups are represented in the plan. “We are particularly hoping to receive expressions of interest from people with an interest or investment in agriculture, animal welfare, bees and beekeeping, community safety, stakeholder behaviour in emergencies, cultural heritage, the environment, bushfire behaviour, forestry, tourism and recreation, and wineries.” The advisory group will help identify several combinations of bushfire management strategy while the final decision and endorsements will be made by agencies with legislative accountability. For more information email forestfire.planningpp@delwp.vic.gov.au. Submissions close on Friday, 29 June.
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Man airlifted after house fire
Picture: Gary Sissons
A MAN was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital after a house fire in Wallaces Road, Dromana, Friday 15 June. It is believed a lamp set fire to a mattress. Two rooms were damaged in the blaze. Witnesses said it took paramedics several
minutes to stabilise the man before the helicopter could take off from the oval at Dromana Secondary College. A relative late last week said the man had recovered and returned home.
Libs to lower house heights THE Liberal Party has pledged to throw out three-storey house height limits in areas across the Mornington Peninsula if it wins the November state election. Mr Davis said three storey height limits were “completely inappropriate for any areas in the peninsula”. “I think [Mornington Peninsula Shire] council has been quite right in saying this should be stopped in this area,” he said. “They [the shire] have had no support from the current government on that. We would certainly ensure that there were sensible protections put back in place for many of those areas.” Mr Davis said “sensible protections” meant reducing height limits to two storeys while scrapping “as-of-right” three-storey limits. He said a Liberal Nationals government would reintroduce the two dwelling limit on lots in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone, reduce building height limits in parts of that zone, and bring
back the nine-metre discretionary height limit in the General Residential Zone. He said the party would review the Garden Area rule – which stipulates areas of green, open space – to make it “more sensible and workable”. Mr Davis was in leafy Glen Iris last week standing alongside opposition leader Matthew Guy, who said he would change zoning rules to mirror those he imposed when he was planning minister 2010-14. These would make it harder to build mediumdensity housing on established streets under twostorey height limits. The height limits were the subject of a failed Coalition planning and environment amendment in state parliament last month which supporters believe would have strengthened attempts to overturn the already implemented 11-metre, threestorey height limits on the peninsula. (“Greens in blue over planning” The News 4/6/18). Stephen Taylor
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26 June 2018
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