FIREFIGHTERS expect the Mallee's risk of fire danger will be at its greatest later than usual this summer, following soaking rain over the Christmas/new year period.
Mildura has already recorded more than a month's worth of rainfall across just two days this month following steady rainfall on Christmas Day which is forecast to further add to the region's fuel load.
After higher-than-average rainfall in October, November and now January, forecasters are predicting a more traditional summer weather pattern throughout January and February when vegetation growth is expected to be at its highest.
Forest Fire Management Victoria senior forest fire management officer/fuel manager Nathan Christian said the summer rains would likely force firefighters to revisit areas that were managed ahead of the anticipated fire season.
"This moisture will lead to a resurgence in grass growth and that will add to the fuel load out in the parks and on private property as well," Mr Christian said.
"We'll be looking at going back and possibly re-treating what we have slashed in the lead-up to the fire season again and land owners would probably do well to have a look at their fire breaks as well," he said.
"It's not just a set-and-forget situation with this grass growth and, for sure, I would encourage a bit more caution heading into the next couple of months."
Mr Christian said that while rain could dampen forested areas for an extended period, grassland areas could dry and flourish quickly.
"What we are finding this season is that public land in forested areas is still relatively moist, whereas the grasslands dry out a day after rain and they are available to burn," he said.
"Our larger fires this season have been based in open grassland areas, so we would just ask people not to be complacent.
"Grass fires move and develop more rapidly than forest fires and they are just as deadly.
"We have been told that this moist activity over Christmas and the new year will cease and will return to a more traditional summer pattern going into late January into February so we would urge people to be mindful of what they are doing also in consideration of weather conditions at the time."
Country Fire Authority crews have responded to a number of incidents since Christmas Eve when a fire burnt eight hectares of grass and scrub at Hattah National Park.
Fire bombing aircraft from Ouyen as well as six fire-fighting trucks were used to control the fire.
On December 30, 33ha of stubble was destroyed by fire at Carwarp when leftover organic material left over from pressing grapes into wine is believed to have spontaneously combusted to ignite the fire.
Ten CFA trucks from throughout the region responded to the outbreak.
Twenty-five trucks attended a blaze three days later when lightning was believed to have ignited a fire at Natya, south of Robinvale on January 2.
About 200ha of stubble was burnt in the late afternoon with resources from numerous brigades worked to contain the blaze.
About 21ha of scrub was burnt during a fire at Gunners Track, south of Underbool, on January 3, while an electrical fault is believed to have been the cause of a fire that destroyed a motorhome at Patchewollock that evening.
The $200,000 bus, which had been converted into a mobile home, was parked when it caught fire and took fire crews about half an hour to extinguish the blaze. Part of a car park area was also damaged by the fire.
