Where there’s smoke, there may be a planned burn-off

“Planned burning on public land is one of the tools FFMV uses to keep Victoria safer from bushfires,” he said.

“Our climate is changing and that means finding the right days for safe and effective planned burning is becoming more challenging.

“Autumn typically provides our crews more opportunities to conduct planned burns, as the weather is more stable, and fire behaviour tends to be manageable and predictable.

“With the current favourable weather and forest conditions, we are delivering as much planned burning as we can.”

CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan emphasised the importance of understanding permit requirements while the fire danger period remained active across most of Victoria.

“We are now starting to issue schedule 13 permits to farmers to burn crop stubble to kill off weeds and reduce pests; however, we remind Victorians that no burning off is to occur unless people have received permission,” he said.

“It is vital that landowners check local conditions are safe and appropriate before burning off — both on the day and the days following.

“You may see a large amount of smoke in areas where these activities take place, so we ask farmers to let their neighbours know who may be sensitive to smoke so they can take necessary precaution.

“Any burning off activity should have enough water and resources on hand to monitor and extinguish, and Triple Zero Victoria must be notified as awareness for emergency services and community members.”

Victorian Chief Environmental Scientist Professor Mark Patrick Taylor advised residents to monitor air quality during burn periods.

“Be prepared by watching for FFMV planned burn notifications and by checking the air quality in your area through the EPA’s AirWatch,” Mr Taylor said.

“Your nose is also an excellent smoke detector. If you can smell smoke, take the necessary precautions to protect your health.”