Churchill CFA - March 2025

Recent Fires

The Churchill brigade has this month been very busy with an average of one callout per day so far this year.

Recent incidents attended were a 1.7 hectare grass fire just north of Churchill, which burnt out pasture in a number of small paddocks. This fire started from an illegal burnoff that got out into the grassland. Although a mild day, with just a breeze blowing, the fire ran well through the very dry grass that is now 100 percent cured.

Along with appliances from Boolarra, Driffield, FRV Station 78 (Morwell), Hazelwood North, Morwell, Traralgon, Traralgon West, Yallourn North, Yinnar and Yinnar South, multiple resources from the Hazelwood Mine and Helitak330, a fire bombing helicopter, and Firebird312, supervising helicopter, attended a fire near the Hazelwood Cemetery which was started by a lightning strike. The fire was located in treed area in tough terrain in a gully, so crews worked very hard to contain and extinguish the fire. In total, the fire burnt 0.89 hectares, so it was a job very well done.

Fire Restrictions Are Still In Force

The Churchill and District community is reminded that fire restrictions are still in force in Latrobe City, and across West, South and East Gippsland. 

Find out what you can and cannot do during the declared Fire Danger Period, and on days of Total Fire Ban, when fires in the open air are legally restricted in the ‘Can I or Can't I’ brochure available from CFA District 27 Headquarters (20 Hazelwood Rd Morwell), or online:  cfa.vic.gov.au/can

Key Information Services

To stay up to date on what is happening around the state of Victoria, or in your local area, here is a listing of the main information services available.

VicEmergency (Warnings, incidents and planned burns) www.emergency.vic.gov.au

Warnings, incidents and planned burns are all displayed on the VicEmergency website - the single location for all emergency information in Victoria. Accessible via mobile phones or your computer.

VicRoads (road closures) traffic.transport.vic.gov.au

On this website you will find information about unplanned (emergency) road closures and traffic alerts. It is Victoria's official source of information about roads and traffic during incidents and emergencies that may impact road users.

Victoria Police www.police.vic.gov.au

Information for motorists travelling in a bush fire environment - access during road closures.

Note: The term 'roadblock' or 'road block' is no longer in use. Instead the correct term is 'road closure'.

Bureau of Meteorology www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/melbourne.shtml

Victorian weather and warnings

State Emergency Service (SES) www.ses.vic.gov.au

Floods, severe storms, earthquakes, road accident rescue, search and rescue and other emergency support.

Ambulance Victoria www.ambulance.vic.gov.au

Official portal for emergency and non-emergency ambulance services in Victoria, Australia. It also provides key information on health and safety, community programs, and career opportunities.