A Total Fire Ban (TFB) has been declared for the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North Central, South West and Central regions tomorrow, Thursday 22 February 2024.
Tomorrow’s conditions across Victoria will be hot and windy, with extreme fire conditions and temperatures reaching the low 40s in some parts of the state.
A Total Fire Ban means no fire can be lit in the open air or allowed to remain alight from 12.01am to 11.59pm on the day of the Total Fire Ban.
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the TFB has been declared due to the expected conditions across the Mallee, Wimmera, Northern Country, North Central, South West and Central districts tomorrow.
“We’re expecting hot, dry and fresh northerly winds ahead of a gusty south-westerly change. This could bring wind gusts of 60-80km/h,” CO Heffernan said.
“It will also trigger isolated showers and thunderstorms occurring around the change in the mid to late afternoon.
“Tomorrow’s conditions will make it difficult for firefighters to suppress new fires that may occur but will also be challenging conditions for those firegrounds generated from last week’s catastrophic fire day.
“We’re asking people to follow the strict conditions associated with the Total Fire Ban declaration.
“Understand how the increased fire risk will impact you and ensure your fire plan covers all possible contingencies.
“On days of extreme fire dangers all communities, in particular those in the Wimmera region surrounding the Grampians fires, tomorrow is a day to ensure you keep up to date with the Vic Emergency app and be ready to put into action your bushfire survival plan.”
Victorians can find out if it is a Total Fire Ban on the CFA website cfa.vic.gov.au, where it is usually published by 5pm the day before a Total Fire Ban.
For more information on what you can and can’t do visit the Can I or Can’t I page on the CFA website.
Victorians should also make sure they have access to more than one source of information.
These include:
ABC local radio, commercial and designated radio stations of Sky News
The VicEmergency App
The VicEmergency website emergency.vic.gov.au
The VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226
CFA or VicEmergency Twitter or Facebook
