Green is still a fire danger signal

PEOPLE are being urged not to let the look of lush green grass in some areas of the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley fool them that the fire danger has past.
CFA, community safety manager Jeff Adair says that although some areas look like the drought has past, that is not the case.
Mr Adair said if people look closely at the surrounding landscape the signs of drought are just hidden below the surface.
“Over the past couple of weeks, the paddocks in the valley have quickly browned off again despite recent rain,” he said.
“In the forests, the litter and the vegetation are dry, too.”
Mr Adair said fire brigades in the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley have also experienced an increase in call-outs to trees falling across powerlines or roads.
He said this is a sign of how much stress the larger plants are under due to a lack of moisture
Mr Adair says the fire danger hasn’t past and will remain high unless there is significant rainfall.
“Residents should remember that this bushfire season has the potential to run until April.”
People are reminded to be diligent in clearing away debris such as loose bark, leaves and twigs from under trees and near their homes.