Tuesday, 9 December 2025

 Bridget VALLENCE (Evelyn) (14:38): (1458) Bushfire season is upon us, and the Yarra Ranges has been identified as Victoria’s highest bushfire-risk region, with thousands of people, homes and livestock at risk if a major fire occurs. My question is to the Minister for Environment about bushfire preparedness. What fuel reduction burning has been done to prepare for the 2025–26 fire season in the Yarra Ranges region and in my electorate? Given the seasonal outlook for 2025–26 has a significantly increased bushfire risk and with our community suffering the Montrose bushfire recently, locals are concerned about fuel loads and whether there has been sufficient back-burning to reduce fuel loads ahead of summer, especially because fuel reduction burning under the Allan Labor government has averaged just 1 per cent over the past five years, well short of the Black Saturday bushfires royal commission’s recommended rolling 5 per cent target for proactive land management. As always, thank you to Forest Fire Management Victoria and our local CFA fire brigade firefighters for their dedicated work to help keep our communities safe.