Preparing for bushfires is everyone’s responsibility

Published on 13 January 2026

Council is calling upon all residents and property owners to do their part to make the Hepburn Shire as safe as it can be in the face of a dangerous bushfire season.

Over the last few months, Council has been working hard to ensure the Shire is prepared for bushfires by hosting emergency plan workshops, collecting nearly 4,000 cubic metres of green waste during the free drop off period for residents in November, slashing around 450 km of sealed roads and intersections, sending 1,749 fire danger period letters to absentee landowners, conducting 858 inspections and posting 560 fire prevention notices.

Mayor, Councillor Tony Clark, said that while Council has worked diligently to minimise the Shire’s bushfire risk, residents and property owners must also do their part.

“We’ve known for some time that this summer would be a particularly dangerous one. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to reduce the fire load in our region, but we can only do so much. If you’ve received a fire prevention notice, it’s incredibly important that you comply so you can keep your property and neighbourhood safe,” he said.

If a property owner or resident fails to comply within 28 days, Council will engage a contractor to complete the works on their behalf and add this cost to that property’s rates, as well as issuing a fine.

“We’ve reached a point in time where action is critical. We’re not in a position where we can be lenient. The fires across the state, have shown us that we must act before it’s too late, and although most landowners do the right thing, we have had to issue fire prevention notices to over 5 per cent of properties,” said Cr Clark.

Under the Country Fire Authority Act 1958, Council has a legal obligation to reduce the risk of fire for the community. Council's Municipal Fire Prevention Officers have the power to inspect and issue fire prevention notices within the Shire.

Learn more about Council's fire management.