The Conservation Regulator, Parks Victoria and Forest Fire Management Victoria have reported 726 unattended campfires and barbecues on public land during the 2023-24 financial year.
As the busy summer season approaches, the authorities will be increasing patrols in Victorian parks, reserves and forests.
“Campfires are a cause of bushfires that are 100 per cent preventable,” chief conservation regulator Kate Gavens said.
“Ensure you know the rules and are up-to-date on weather conditions before you light any fire.
“Your fire is your responsibility.”
During the Labour Day long weekend, authorised officers patrolled campsites in Victoria and found over 40 campfires still alight during the Total Fire Ban.
Many people don’t know how to extinguish a campfire properly, and may do so incorrectly with soil or not enough water.
Fires that aren’t extinguished correctly can smoulder under soil for days and reignite in the right conditions.
“Never leave a campfire unattended and always put a campfire out with water,” Forest Fire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman said.
“If the ashes are cool to touch ‒ it’s safe to leave. It only takes one stray ember to cause a destructive fire.”
Before you light a fire, you should always check any fire restrictions, especially for a Total Fire Ban. To stay safe, you should:
- Plan ahead and consider alternatives for cooking such as a portable butane cook top.
- Use a purpose-built fireplace if available, otherwise dig a trench at least 30cm deep.
- Always follow the designated rules of your campsite. In national parks, fires can only be lit in purpose-built fireplaces unless marked otherwise.
- The campfire must not exceed one square metre and three metres above and around your fire must be clear of flammable material.
- Branches and logs on your campfire must be no longer than one metre.
- Never leave a campfire unattended ‒ an adult must always stay within a 50-metre line of sight.
- Campfires must be extinguished with at least 10 litres of water every time you leave the site, even for a short while. If the remains of the campfire, including coals, are cool to touch, it is safe to leave.
- All rubbish must be taken home with you, not burned.
Anyone who breaches campfire regulations on public land faces fines of $577 or a maximum penalty of $19,231 if the matter is prosecuted in court.
The maximum penalty for lighting or maintaining a fire during a Total Fire Ban is $46,154 and two years in jail.
You can report unattended campfires to 136 186 or call 000 to report a bushfire.
For more information on campfire skills, go to https://tinyurl.com/48s7rzv6
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