Planned burns across the Latrobe Valley will continue as land managers continue to clear their properties in consultation with the CFA ahead of spring.
CFA District 27 vegetation management officer John Crane said two types of burns were taking place, including a bushfire mitigation and fuel management program to the east of Morwell along the Strzelecki Highway.
He said the plantations damaged by fire in 2014 were being removed and parcels of land previously occupied by native logging in the area would be returned to natural pasture.
“Previously it was a forestry plantation and for the betterment of the community that plantation is being removed and returned to pasture, minimising the bushfire risk,” Mr Crane said.
“Whilst this work is being undertaken, there will be some burning off and smoke in the area. This will be done at times when we can minimise smoke to the community.
“Importantly the end result will be a long-term bushfire prevention outcome for the Latrobe Valley community, and in particular Morwell.”
While the burns along the Strzelecki Highway were expected to be completed by the end of the week, other burns throughout the region were expected to continue for sometime.
“There is also the standard forestry and cultural burn program which is being undertaken by HVP Plantations and that happens around this time of year every year,” Mr Crane said.
“There’s been burns undertaken north east of Yallourn North recently and this is part of an ongoing forest management practice.”
For more information, visit cfa.vic.gov.au/about/planned-burns.
