Belgrave Fire Brigade - CFA

We hope everyone has been enjoying the Easter Long weekend!
Just a notification that over the next 24 hours two planned burns will be ignited if conditions are correct. One is in Belgrave South and one is in Monbulk

Please check https://plannedburns.ffm.vic.gov.au/ for updates or your VicEmergency App

Home Information about FFMVic, CFA and Forest Fire Management Victoria planned burning

The Fire Danger Period for Knox City Council, Manningham Council, Maroondah City Council and Yarra Ranges Council will be lifted as of 1am Monday 30th March 2026.

If you burn off after the conclusion of the Fire Danger Period, please be mindful that it is easy to lose control of your small burn-off. You can refer to the CFA brochure ‘Are you burning off safely?’ to ensure your burn remains safe and legal. Take care and make sure you have water available at all times and never leave your burn-off unattended.

Your local CFA Brigade can provide you with advice on how to safely burn-off, and how to best prepare yourself and your property for the next fire season.

Before lighting a burn-off, we urge residents to always notify their neighbours and register their burn either online via firepermits.vic.gov.au or by calling the Burn-Off Notification Line on 1800 668 511.

Always check and adhere to your council’s local laws and regulations before burning off.

Yesterday our Juniors had the opportunity to visit Maroondah Dam and get up close and personal with one of the helicopters used in firefighting operations. A big thank you to Guy from Forest Air Helicopters for taking the time to show us around the aircraft and talk through the equipment. It was great to see the Bambi bucket up close and learn more about how it’s used during firefighting operations.

We also made a stop at Mount St Leonard Fire Tower climbing up the viewing tower and learning about the important role fire towers play in detecting and monitoring fires.

A great day getting a closer look at different parts of the firefighting service and the people and equipment that help keep our communities safe. 🚁🔥

A Total Fire Ban has been declared for the Central, Wimmera, South West, North Central and West & South Gippsland fire weather districts for Tuesday 17 February 2026.

No fires can be lit, or be allowed to remain alight, in the open air from 12:01 AM until 11:59 PM.

More information is available at www.cfa.vic.gov.au/firebans

A Total Fire Ban has been declared for the Central, Mallee, North Central, North East, Northern Country, West & South Gippsland and Wimmera districts for Wednesday 11 February 2026.

No fires can be lit, or be allowed to remain alight, in the open air from 12:01 AM until 11:59 PM.

More information is available at www.cfa.vic.gov.au/firebans

Come on down to the Belgrave Big Dreams Market in Reynolds Lane Belgrave and say hi to our firefighters and get a photo with our Tanker 2!

Today we stop to reflect, mourn and learn from what we now call 'Black Saturday'.

The Black Saturday fires were Australia’s most devastating bushfires. They occurred in the state of Victoria on Saturday, 7 February 2009. This day coincided with the worst bushfire weather conditions ever recorded. Extreme heat, high winds, low humidity, and severe drought were all factors in fanning the flames on that tragic day. These fires also caused the greatest loss of life for a bush fire and wiped whole towns off the map. On a global scale, this was the world’s worst fire event.

Immediately preceding Black Saturday there were consecutive days of extreme temperatures reaching up to 46 degrees Celsius (115 °F). This heat wave was the worst in Victoria’s history.

An intense heatwave occurred within the worst drought ever recorded in Australia’s history. Often described as a once in millennium drought, including little to no recorded rainfall in the preceding two months of Black Saturday.

Another big contributing factor was the wind which during the fires reached up to and beyond 100km/h (62 mph). The wind was also hot and dry as it came from the tropics and passed over the Australian Outback (the biggest area of desert outside of the Sahara). The wind then changed to gale-force southwesterly winds which reached up to 120 km/h (75 mph). This wind caused the fires to merge into huge fire fronts that burned with speed and ferocity never seen before.

The Black Saturday fires caused Australia’s highest-ever loss of life from a bush-fire event. 173 people died with about 120 people being killed by a single firestorm considered by experts to be the perfect firestorm. Over 2,030 houses and 3,500 structures were destroyed with thousands more suffering damage. The towns of Kinglake, Marysville, Narbethong, Strathewen, and Flowerdale were completely destroyed while many other towns suffered serious damage. The total area destroyed was half a million km2, the size of a small country.

We pause to remember the lives, homes, livelihoods, pets, wildlife, and wilderness lost on 7 February 2009 in the Black Saturday Bushfires. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected and we thank all the firefighters and emergency services personnel for their bravery.

If today intensifies feelings of loss, please reach out to professional services, friends, colleagues, and family for support. We will never forget this tragic event.

A Total Fire Ban has been declared for the Wimmera, Central and North Central Fire Districts for tomorrow, Wednesday 4 February 2026.

No fires can be lit, or be allowed to remain alight, in the open air from 12:01 AM until 11:59 PM. More information: www.cfa.vic.gov.au/firebans

A Total Fire Ban has been declared for the whole State of Victoria on Tuesday 27 January 2026.

No fires can be lit, or be allowed to remain alight, in the open air from 12:01 AM until 11:59 PM. More information: www.cfa.vic.gov.au/firebans

A Total Fire Ban has been declared for the whole state of Victoria - Saturday 24 January 2026.

No fires can be lit, or be allowed to remain alight, in the open air from 12:01 AM until 11:59 PM. more information: www.cfa.vic.gov.au/firebans