People going into closed fire areas

The map basically indicates you can't go anywhere in the HC.

Leroy

Hi truckster, I couldn't agree with you more - about the tv that is. As I mentioned in a previous thread, when the major stations stop following the story then a lot of people believe the risk has passed and off they go on their merry way without checking dse, parkweb.vic.gov.au etc etc. Some sort of advert or quick plug in the news would be all it took to get people to ensure they make sure the place they want to go to is actually still safe or ready to go back to so they can bring money into the local community. Major stations seems to have withdrawn their reporters as I gues the story just ran out of legs for them, but the problem is still there and it needs to be covered. Especially at this time of year. Not getting the information through can be so dangerous.

Just wondering whether we actually have a living breathing "Victorian Tourist Authority" that one might hope would run some sort of advertisement in papers/tv informing the masses as to which towns are OK to visit.

I saw a very, very short interview on ABC news just prior to Xmas where they interviewed a local business person from the Bright / Porepunkah townships pleading for the media to back off and not give the impression that the town was burnt down or out of bounds for tourists. The fires there had passed, the main roads open, and business' desperate for business.

I know there are websites (Parks Vic / DSE / CFA) which will detail affected fire areas but I think there should be some sort of effort forthcoming from the tourist side to let us know where tourists can return too. The locals would know what's open and what's closed but people outside these immediate areas (Melbourne for instance) are not, I feel, being brought up to date with this information. We are not included in the loop yet we are probably their main source of tourists.

Just a thought.

Just come back from fighting fires past Orbost. Up and down the hills to the Bemm River filling up collar tanks and 'pigs' for DSE and putting out some wet stuff on red stuff..

None of the tracks have CLOSED signs on them.... just an 80k restriction near where we are pulling water out on the Princes Hwy.

Mind you the desolate black ash and hot flames might give a few people the idea that a 4wd trip in that area is not sensible!

I think a TV add would be difficult to keep updated. One day they would be advertising Bright is open for tourists then following a hot wind change smoke & flames would threaten the town & the tourists would be told to go home.
All the information about what is open, what's closed & what's on fire is readily available on the internet. For those still unsure just ring up some local accomodation, parks Vic or tourist imformation. They will tell you either way what areas are suitable. Large flashing display boards warn of closed areas as you approach the fires, then immediately before the flames comes the road closures. It seems many are paying no attention to the warnings & camping in and around the burnt areas anyway before Parks have had time to clear dangerous trees or even put the fire out. Not that it is a bad thing......I suppose it could be seen as natural selection at work :-))
Cheers Craig.....

As a Licensed Tour Operator I just want to commend DSE and ParksVic on the level of information they provide every night without fail on the fire situation.

Detailed description and detailed map of what is open and what is not and the current state and outlook.

Absolutely incredible service in an emergency - I hope that SA, NT and WA Parks folks think of emulating it.

There is a lot of burnt out area ... and still a lot closed off: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/ and Site Link ... it is clearly hard for everyone there, but a bit of research and some phone calls and you will soon work oput where you can go that might be interesting.

The details are quite difficult to get across on TV - we are talking about a hellish amount of detail across a huge chunk of Victoria - 1 million hectares or so!!!

Whilst I am also frustrated about where to go up there, we are talking a pretty disastrous situation, requiring huge resources to tackle it, and in the circumstances I am impressed with the detailed info provided and the good use made of the web.

Cheers
Andrew.