Ocean Road’s fire plan

THE Country Fire Authority is assuring Great Ocean Road residents it has a detailed plan to manage potential fires along the busy tourist route.

Christmas Day fires destroyed more than 100 homes in Wye River and Separation Creek in 2015.

CFA operation manager Mick McGuinness said the authority had been working with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning to prepare the area for the upcoming fire season.

He said, while firefighters would make every effort to save lives and homes in the event of a fire, the onus was on residents to leave and live on a high fire-danger day.

“Victoria and the southeast of Australia is one of the most bushfire-prone areas in the world,” Mr McGuinness said.

“The community needs to take ownership themselves for being prepared during the summer period.

“Don’t wait until smoke shows up on the ridge of the Otways.”

Mr McGuinness’s comments come after Surf Coast Shire councillor Clive Goldsworthy told a council meeting last week that 3000 cars drove roads heading in to Lorne during the Christmas Day fires.

He said the same thing would happen again if another fire ignited in the Otways.

But Mr McGuinness said the CFA, Victoria Police and VicRoads had a thorough management plan to manage traffic along roads leading to fire-affected communities.

“We are aware of Cr Goldsworthy’s concerns,” Mr McGuinness said.

“We are very comfortable with the plan we had. We’ve had this plan for a number of years.”