Mt Beauty, Tawonga get fire ‘safer places’

Written by EBONY D’ARCY.

MT BEAUTY and Tawonga look set to join the ranks of towns with a designated "Neighbourhood Safer Place" in case of bushfires.

Alpine Shire Council manager community services, Trevor Britten, last night recommended to councillors that the Mt Beauty Sports Stadium and Tawonga Memorial Hall be added to the five-strong list of certified sites.

"High risk towns have been identified by the CFA," he said.

"The proposed ‘places of last resort’ have been assessed and ‘signed off’ by the CFA against certain criteria, including distance from possible fuel and minimum radiant heat levels in the event of a fire."

Dederang Recreation Reserve and Memorial Hall was one of the original safer places along with sites in Bright, Harrietville, Porepunkah and Myrtleford.

Council chief executive officer, Ian Nicholls, reminded residents and visitors that safer places were designed only as a last resort in case of bushfires.

"Council staff and the CFA have been busy undertaking these assessments behind the scenes and continue to work on establishing them for other communities, including Dinner Plain," he said.

"Many community members feel reassured that such a facility is available, however places of last resort should only be used as bushfire survival plan fails and there is nowhere else to go.