Mail - Ranges Trader mail - 06th October 2015

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Ranges

21 Tuesday, 6 October, 2015

Trader

Classic giveaway

3

Mail

Covering the Dandenongs in the Yarra Ranges & Cardinia Shires

Electoral review

A Mail News Group publication

27

Souvenir Hawks poster

Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808

Billy gets a grant Puffing Billy has received $300,000 in funding from the Dandenong Ranges Environmental and Bushfire Reduction Community Grants scheme secured by Jason Wood and provided by the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority. More than $2 million has been allocated for the Dandenong Ranges Environmental and Bushfire Reduction Community Grants made possible through Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, with the works to be rolled out over the next three years. The PPWCMA is providing an exciting opportunity for community groups and environmentally focused organisations to apply for large and small scale funding to implement projects in the Dandenong Ranges. Puffing Billy is just one of 29 community groups or organisation that have acquired a funding boost through this scheme.

Stephen Thuan of PPWCMA, Puffing Billy CEO John Robinson, and Federal MP Jason Wood. 145121

Picture: VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS

Burns ban ‘a threat’

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action was post fire season, but there are usually pockets of burns in the preseason.” Captain Bates said he was closely watching the predicted El Nino. He said predictions were for a drier west of the state, while the east coast would be wetter. But he said there was never a time for complacency. “The fire season can creep up quickly,” he said. “Before you know it, the warmer temperatures are here, you get a hot day and high winds and conditions change.” Both captains said now was the time for the community to start preparing. They encouraged residents to start cleaning around their homes and checking items like barbecue connections.

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“Victorians are now facing bans on critical works to reduce the risk of catastrophic bushfires.” Emerald CFA Captain, Paul Yandle, did not want to comment on the strike action specifically, but was monitoring the goings on. Instead, Captain Yandle said he would focus on the preparations of his team, which includes new members, many of whom had not experienced a fire season before. Healesville Captain, Graeme Bates, questioned the logic behind the action. “It does reduce the window of opportunity around when burns can be conducted,” he said. “And you’ve got to go back the next day, it doesn’t matter what day you burn on - there’s that duty of care. “I would be more concerned if the

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tion for what promises to be a very hot summer driven by a Godzilla El Nino.” In providing a reason for the bans, the AWU has cited a four-month wait for negotiating an enterprise bargaining agreement with the Victorian Government. The AWU is also applying for an indefinite stop on falling trees for firewood and a ban on cleaning toilets and collecting rubbish in picnic areas. DELWP has provided assurances the action will not result in scaled-back or cancellation of burns. However, Gembrook MP, Brad Battin, believes the actions endanger the community. “Volunteer firefighters with the CFA rely on the efforts of planned burning to improve bushfire safety,” he said.

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PREPARATIONS for the upcoming fire season in the Yarra Ranges may be interrupted, with the Australian Workers Union launching extraordinary industrial action involving spring planned burns. The action involves the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) forest fighting staff, which will only be permitted to conduct planned burns on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The move will greatly reduce the windows of opportunity during which staff can undertake planned burns, which are aimed at reducing bushfire fuel loads in forests and public lands areas. Intensifying this scenario is the

fact many experts are bracing for a “Godzilla El Nino”, which could bring with it much drier than usual weather patterns. This is in addition to rainfall over the past few months, which will encourage natural spring growth. Local politicians have hit out at the action, while CFA captains are closely watching the events. In particular, Member for Evelyn, Christin Fyffe, has slammed the AWU bans. “The AWU is playing with the safety of our communities by banning planned burns,” she said. “I call on the AWU to remove the ban on planned burns immediately. “Spring is the last chance for carrying out planned burns in prepara-

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By PETER DOUGLAS


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