Bass Coast Municipal Fire Management Plan 2018 - 2021

Bass Coast Municipal Fire ManagementPlan2018 - 2021Version 3December 2018ED18/148462

Chair’s ForewordI am pleased to present this version of the Bass Coast Municipal Fire Management Plan(MFMP). The production of this plan has been consistent with principles outlined in theIntegrated Fire Management Planning Framework (2007) and the State Fire ManagementStrategy (2009) and the Integrated Fire Management Planning Guide (2010).This plan is a continuation of the collaboration between government agencies and landmanagers across the municipality and includes collaboration with communities. Workingtogether is the key driver for good community outcomes from the occurrence and recoveryfrom fire; a shared responsibility between communities, government agencies, landmanagers, organisations and businesses.Work is continuing in relation to a Strategic Bushfire Management Planning process aRegional (Gippsland) level which will include a Gippsland public land fuel managementstrategy and a Gippsland all-tenure fuel management strategy. This work will inform futureMunicipal Fire Management Planning and associated bushfire mitigation activities.The Bass Coast Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee continue to ensure thecurrency of this plan by implementing actions included in the attachments of this plan wheremost of the current mitigation activities take place, and by providing a quarterly meetingforum to discuss fire related issues.This version of the plan will be available to communities, organisations and businessesthrough the Bass Coast Shire Council website for ongoing consultation and continuousimprovement. I would like to personally thank all those who have contributed to theproduction of this plan and those who have been willing to commit their time andconsiderable expertise.Cr Bruce KentChairBass Coast Municipal Fire Management Planning CommitteeED18/148462

Authorisation and EndorsementBass Coast Shire Council is the custodian of this Municipal Fire Management Plan (MFMP), asa sub plan of the Municipal Emergency Management Plan (MEMP).This MFMP has been produced by the Municipal Fire Management Planning Committeepursuant to Section 20 of the Emergency Management Act 1986; and will be deemed to fulfilSection 55A of the CFA Act 1958.Current agency representatives of the MFMPC commit to the implementation of this plan asit applies to each agency.MFMP MembershipAgency/OrganisationBass Coast Shire CouncilCFADepartment of Environment,Land, Water and PlanningParks VictoriaVictoria PoliceVicRoadsPhillip Island Nature ParkPage 2 of 80Generic RepresentativeMunicipal Fire Prevention OfficerOperations OfficerDistrict 8/Group OfficerForest Fire ManagementArea Chief Ranger, South Gippsland and Bass CoastMunicipal Emergency Response CoordinatorEmergency Management Coordinator RegionalOperations Eastern RegionRanger in ChargeVersion 3 December 2018ED18/148462

Index to AmendmentsVersionNumberDate ofAmendmentBrief Description of ChangeVersion 1.031/10/2011Document creationVersion 1.120/3/2012Correction of typing errorsVersion 2.017/10/2012Incorporation of community consultation on Version 1.1 andinclusion of structural fire and fires involving chemicalsVersion 2.021/01/14Updated Community Information Guide and NeighbourhoodSafer Place informationContact for changes to the planVersion 2.1Version 2.210/12/2015Merged Attachment A1 and Attachment BExtended the length of the plan to 2012-2016New structure fire and Roadside Fire ManagementattachmentsVersion 2.329/12/2016Updated Chairs forward, planning process & period of plan.Information contained in Attachment A1 now only has detailsof high, very high to extreme assets.Extended the length of the plan to 2012-201Authorisation and endorsementVersion 2.415/01/2018Updated Chairs forward, planning process & period of plan.Extended the length of the plan to-2018Authorisation and endorsementVersion 315/10/2018General update to planVersion 313/12/2018Approved by MFMPCThe Bass Coast MFMPC has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the informationcontained within this plan. Any inaccuracies or omissions should be notified to:Coordinator Local Laws and Emergency Management1300 BCOAST (226 278)Postal Address:PO Box 118WONTHAGGI VIC 3995Page 3 of 80Version 3 December 2018ED18/148462

Table of ContentsChair’s Foreword. 1Authorisation and Endorsement . 2Index to Amendments . 3Part 1 – Introduction . 6Introduction to Fire Management . 6Planning Process. 8Period of Plan . 8Stakeholder Analysis, Community and Organisational Engagement Process . 92 – Engagement and Communications . 10Part 3 – Shire Facts and Data . 11Bass Coast Fire History Summary . 11Planning Priorities (Values) . 13Future Fire Management. 13Part 4 – Municipal Fire Management Objectives . 14Plan Objectives . 14Plan Outcomes . 15Links to Other Plans . 15Part 5 – Fire Risk Reduction Strategies . 16Bushfire Risk Treatments . 16Structure Fire Risk Treatments . 18Fires Involving Chemicals Risk Treatments . 20Part 6 – Improvement, Plan Reporting and Review Process . 21Audit Plan . 21Plan Review and Update . 21Part 7 – Attachments . 22Attachment A-1 Register of Assets at Risk – Bushfire (High, Very High and Extreme). 23Attachment A-2 Assets at Risk – Structure Fire. 30Attachment A-3 Assets at Risk – Fires Involving Chemicals . 39Attachment B-1 – Hazard Trees (Electrical Safety Act 1998) . 40Attachment B-2 – Community Information Guides Bushfire . 46Attachment B-3 – Neighbourhood Safer Places - Bushfire Place of Last Resort. 47Attachment B-4 – Community Fire Refuge. 49Attachment C – Maps . 50Attachment D – Links to other plans . 53Attachment E – Fire Access Roads. 54Page 4 of 80Version 3 December 2018ED18/148462

Attachment F – Static Water Supplies . 56Attachment G – Roadside Fire Management . 57Attachment H –List of Stakeholders Primary Stakeholder Distribution List & MFMPCmembers . 68Attachment J - Glossary of Bushfire and Structure Fire Terms . 71Attachment K – Acronyms . 76Attachment L – References. 78Page 5 of 80Version 3 December 2018ED18/148462

Part 1 – IntroductionIntroduction to Fire ManagementThe underlying basis of fire management is; protection and preservation of life, property andthe environment. Within this context there are three fire risk elements for communities inBass Coast, bushfire1, structure fire and fires involving chemicals.Assessing Risk and the CERA processThe Bass Coast Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee (MEMPC) carriesout an annual assessment and review to identify existing and potential risks to thecommunity of Bass Coast Shire. The process used is the Community Emergency RiskAssessment Tool (CERA), based on ISO 31000, a global risk management standard. Theprocess is facilitated by VICSES and supported by MEMPC members, subject matter expertsand the community and forms the basis of the Municipal Emergency Management Planningprocess.CERA is designed to take an “all hazards approach” and to focus on those emergency risksthat have the most significant potential to impact the Bass Coast community and where theMEMPC can play a practical and impactful role in better mitigating the risk and/or monitoringthe controls in place to address them. The outcome of this process is the development ofrisk reduction strategies that enhance personal safety and security within Bass Coast.HazardResidual Risk RatingHazardResidual Risk RatingFire StructuralHighBushfire ( incl Grass)HighResidual Risk Ratings for Fire hazard in Bass Coast Shire from 2018 Risk ReviewTo ensure preparedness in relation to the identified hazards of Structure Fire and Bushfire(including grass) in Bass Coast, the MEMPC has established a subcommittee specificallytasked with looking at these risks. The Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee(MFMPC) has the aim to reduce the impact of, and prepare for emergency situations thesehazards may cause for residents and visitors of Bass Coast ShireThe MFMPC is tasked with the development and ongoing maintenance of the Municipal FireManagement Plan (MFMP). The MFMPC consists of appropriate representatives fromrelevant fire agencies, Bass Coast Shire Council and other agencies as appropriate.The purpose of the Municipal Fire Management Plan (MFMP) is to chart the planned andcoordinated implementation of measures designed to minimise the occurrence, and mitigatethe effect of fire in Bass Coast, and the planned use of fire in the landscape for a variety ofpurposes. One important aspects of implementing the MFMP is to engage communities sothat they have a valid influence in the fire management planning process. It ensures that theBass Coast MFMP responds to community needs, values and risks.1Bushfire is a generic term for all types of vegetation firesPage 6 of 80Version 3 December 2018ED18/148462

BushfireIn Victoria we live in a fire prone environment dictated by our climate of wet winters andhot dry summers. Fire management needs to be conducted with an understanding of boththe role fire plays, with the threats it can pose to life and property, in biodiversitymaintenance and the management of our parks and forests.While the overall likelihood of bushfire in Bass Coast is lower than most other Gippslandmunicipalities there are some pockets of community at high risk of bushfire that have thepotential for loss of life and property, without prudent mitigation works and educationprograms,Victorian Fire Risk Register (VFRR)The Victorian Fire Risk Register (VFRR) is a systematic process that identifies assets at riskfrom fire, assesses the level of risk to assets and highlights the risk mitigation treatmentscurrently in place along with the responsible agencies for implementing these strategies.The Victorian Fire Risk Register - Bushfire (VFRR-B) is a process in which representativesfrom local government, fire services, public land managers, utilities and other stakeholdersmap assets at risk from bushfire and assess the level of risk to the asset. Assets may includeresidential areas, children's services, hospitals, aged-care facilities, infrastructure, commercialindustry, tourism events, flora, fauna and those that are culturally significant. Agencyrepresentatives also record the current treatments which are carried out to mitigate the riskto the asset. Treatments may include fire prevention, community education and hazardreduction.The VFRR-B supports and informs Municipal Fire Management Plans. A number of agenciesare also using the VFRR-B as evidence based data to support their bushfire planning anddecision making. The outputs from the VFRR that have informed and supported this plan area series of maps displaying assets at risk and current risk mitigation treatments, riskmitigation treatment registers, and a report which explains the risk register and data(Attachment A-1 Register of Assets at Risk – Bushfire)Structure FireStructure fire is a hazard directly relating to the built environment. Structure fire can lead toimpacts on the following building types: residential industry commercial infrastructure public assembly public accommodation healthcare and special accommodation agriculture marinePage 7 of 80Version 3 December 2018ED18/148462