Who is responsible for preventing and fighting bushfires?

In Victoria, the CFA and the Department of Sustainability and the Environment (DSE) share the main responsibilities for preventing and fighting bushfires. These authorities regulate and manage a wide range of activities involving bushfires that affect government lands (including state forests, parks and other public lands), private landowners, and individuals. Some of these activities include:

when and how fires can be lit in the open air;
obligations for when a fire spreads out of control;
declaring fire bans and fire danger periods;
fire brigades and volunteer fire fighters; and
fire safety inspections.

Due to the seriousness of bushfire problems in Victoria, violation of certain fire-related laws may result in criminal penalties. Depending on the offence committed, fines and/or imprisonment may be imposed.

Further information on bushfires is available from:

the CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au; and
the DSE website www.dse.vic.gov.au.