Treechange alert

By Lilly O’Gorman
A BRUSH with Black Saturday’s devastation was a wake-up call for the small town of Harkaway and its residents have since answered by penning and publishing a fire safety book.
The Harkaway Residents Group (HRG) formed in the wake of the February 2009 fires when a 184-hectare grass fire took hold in the early afternoon in Narre Warren North, sideswiping the town centre and destroying a home, several sheds, cars, and other buildings.
The HRG produced the Harkaway Fire Management Booklet using a grant from the Victorian Bushfire Appeals Fund.
HRG president Darren Batchelor said the group decided to use the funds to put its members through basic first aid training and put the book together.
“We put together as much information as we could in the hope of giving people more knowledge and make people aware of what’s available to them,” Mr Batchelor said.
According to Mr Batchelor, the book was designed to inform newcomers who had made a treechange to the area without necessarily understanding the risks of living in a fire-prone area with a history of bushfires.
“I think one of the best quotes is that most people don’t really care until their neighbour’s house is on fire, and then they start worrying,” he said.
“There are no excuses not to be fire ready, and no excuse not to know answer to what you want to know.
“Everybody is approachable in Harkaway and anybody that needs an answer, we will get it to them.
“Join the HRG mailing list and ask – it doesn’t matter how stupid a question is, we’re happy to answer.”
The 23 page booklet contains information such as a history of fire in Harkaway, planning for an emergency, roadside slashing and hard rubbish collection schedules and emergency contact phone numbers.
The booklets are available from the Harkaway General Store or as an electronic copy by contacting harkawayresidents@hotmail.com.au.
The HRG had also achieved other initiatives including the removal of the $20 fire permit fee and the Harkaway Green Waste Collection, which sees the City of Casey council removing and mulching tree cuttings collected from residents’ properties this week.
“Since 2009, and seeing how close it came to our town, I think then it meant that if we get a lot of this fuel off the ground it does make things a lot easier,” Mr Batchelor said.
“I think now is the time to plan, think a little and everything will be nice. Don’t be so complacent, don’t be scared, but be aware of the risks.”
Captain of the Berwick Fire Brigade Alan Boyd said about 30 people attended the bushfire safety session last Thursday night at Harkaway Hall.
Capt Boyd said that, according to Bureau of Meteorology information, there was an 80 per cent chance that temperatures would be above average during the coming fire season.
“The fire danger perios will peak around February-March when things dry out,” he said.
“The potential is there for serious grass fires with all of the growth around.
“The important thing is to get properties prepared now and ready for when the summer period hits.”