The Country Fire Authority has identified a number of Neighbourhood Safer Places in the Stawell and Ararat regions heading into another potentially dangerous fire season.
However, the release of the Safer Places list coincides with a strong warning from the CFA, Northern Grampians Shire Council and Ararat Rural City Council, that the refuges are only places of last resort.
The Neighbourhood Safer Places - Places of Last Resort guidelines have named the Pomonal Recreation Reserve and Halls Gap Tourist Information Centre as places of last resort. In St Arnaud, there are two refuges listed, Lord Nelson Park and King Georges Park.
The guidelines clearly state that the Neighbourhood Safer Places are an area or premises that may, as a last resort, provide some sanctuary from the life threatening affects of a bushfire. These affects include direct flame contact or radiant heat.
Refuges would normally be an existing space or structure, such as an oval or building, that may protect a person against fire.
While the guidelines are set out for the protection of residents in a bushfire, there are several limitations outlined that communities need to be aware of.
These include:
They (refuges) have a limited capacity and do not guarantee safety.
They do not cater for animals.
Persons using Neighbourhood Safer Places should not always expect emergency service to be present.
They do not provide meals amenity or special needs (for infants, the elderly, the ill or disabled).
They may not provide shelter from the elements, particularly flying embers.
The guidelines also clearly state that going to a Place of Last Resort is an option when other plans have failed. The Places of Last Resort are not an alternative to planning to either leave early or stay and actively defend your property.
They are not inheritently `safe' places during a bushfire. The guidelines also suggest that even travelling to some Places of Last Resort may be dangerous in itself, due to traffic congestion, fire activity, heavy smoke, accidents or fallen trees that may block the route to the refuge.
The guidelines also state: `There is no guarantee that you will not be injured or killed by fire or radiant heat when travelling to or sheltering at a Place of Last Resort'.
Northern Grampians Shire Councillor, Wayne Rice, said the Neighbourhood Safer Places guidelines was among many issues to emanate from the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bushfires.
``The fact is, some stupid things have come out of that Royal Commission,'' he said.
``However, the message needs to get across the community, not to wait until the very last minute to decide to go. In places like Pomonal and Halls Gap, if you wait until you see flames coming over the hill, then you have waited too long and chances are, you are going to die.
``All this does is help councils identify what the safe refuge areas are, we are not telling people what to do, simply identifying these locations.
``After the event, there is no way people can come back to us and say `hang on, you told us we could go there and be safe'. It's not what we are doing.
``It has to be said loud and clear to the community that in the event of a bushfire, get your gear and get out.
``If you have to use a Place of Last Resort because a fire is threatening, you have simply left your run too late.''
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