Drying vegetation poses bushfire risk: DSE
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The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) says a lot of trees and bushes are drying off in forests and creating a higher risk of bushfires.
It has completed all but one fuel reduction burn for spring in the Bendigo fire district.
Thirteen burns have been done, covering 475 hectares of public land, in a area stretching from south of Kyneton to Echuca, and from Murchison to west of St Arnaud.
The DSE hopes to complete the final burn next week.
Fire management officer Les Vearing says the long running drought is taking a heavy toll on the bush.
"[There is] fuel in the forest, apart from the little bit of rain we are getting at the moment, but that will dry off fairly quickly," he said.
"Overall we have got an underlying dryness, so a lot of shrubs and things are actually drying off in the forest because it has been so dry and they'll actually add to the fire danger."
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