Record-breaking low rainfall in parts of Victoria is forcing the Country Fire Authority (CFA) to bring forward the start of its bushfire season.

The agency has released its bushfire season outlook, and is warning Victorians to prepare for an extreme summer of fires.

For the first time, fire restrictions will be introduced in Gippsland as early as September.

CFA chief officer Steve Warrington said the season looked like it would be the worst in a decade.

"Our primary concern is Gippsland, the north-eastern parts of Victoria as well, the Otways and certainly along the Murray," he said.

"At the moment if we go on the current forecasts, and to some extent it's crystal balling, but the dams are down, the water content in the ground is quite low.

"Large parts of the state have been in a few years of drought now."

Conditions in parts of the state, including East Gippsland, are the worst firefighters have seen since Black Saturday when 173 people died in February 2009.

Fire season to 'start early, finish late'

"For the first time ever we'll introduce restrictions in Gippsland as early as September," he said.

"That will take us right through to potentially April next year, so start early, finish late.

"The conditions for this time of the year are really quite concerning for us, and that's unfortunately already being realised."

Fire authorities are expecting a severe or extreme fire season across much of the country this summer.

Mr Warrington warned that could leave Victoria unable to call on firefighters from interstate for help.

"Our ability to support each other is diminished," he said.

"This year we're planning as if Victorians are predominately going to have to look after ourselves, the support won't necessarily be there as we're used to.

"If it starts early and finishes late, it means fatigue issues for us — long campaign, lots of expectation."

Winter bushfires causing concern

About 140 firefighters have been battling a blaze burning at Cape Conran, in the state's east, since Saturday.

It is one of more than a dozen burn-offs that have escaped from private properties this month.

Victoria's Department of Environment Land Water and Planning incident controller Ben Rankin said the conditions were drier and more volatile than normal.

"This is most unusual to have fires run to this extent in winter," he said.

"The fuel and the countryside in East Gippsland at the moment is excessively dry."

Mr Rankin said the ground was drier now than it usually would be in summer.



Rainfall totals are at record lows in part of East Gippsland, and combined with the early fire season landholders are growing concerned.

Josh Puglisi's Cape Conran property is adjacent to the fire.

"We have a dam in our front yard and that was dug probably 12 years ago and it's been full every year," he said.

"This is the first year it's got virtually no water in it.

"We've got fire pumps on our dam, but we've got no water to pump.

"Everyone's talking about how dry it is, everybody from farmers to some old retired couples who live in this area."

The nearby Snowy River Campus School for Student Leadership is tucked away on a grass field surrounded by forest near Marlo.

Principal Robyn Francis said the school's fire equipment had been set up earlier than ever before.

The school has five water tanks for firefighting, a backup generator, and a deluge system to spray water over the school buildings if a fire threatens.

"We usually have it in terms one and four, it's always up in those terms. This is the first time we've set it up in term three," Ms Francis said.

Why, fires had to be on Hot Day seem odd than any other day. I am sick of media don't say how and why fires started.

Isolated very high-based thunderstorms a risk tomorrow afternoon with the passage of a wind change. Damaging winds are a possibility with any storms that do develop. A severe weather warning is current for West and South Gippsland and Central forecast districts for damaging winds following the cool change. If any significant fires develop tomorrow then there is also a risk of thunderstorms forming over the top of those fires.

Logansi- are the aircraft still grounded
On the Rosedale fire?

Not as strong as I thought it might be Tb.
But having said that it’s still fairly gusty and consistent
Strong wind.

Listening to concerning reports on ABC about the causes of today's "other than Rosedale fire starts" .....anyone hear what started this one????

Night time firefighting chopper is enroute from Ballarat from the Rosedale fire.

They have been chomping at the bit to use this toy. I think it might get a good run tonight. Have they done any night drops yet?

Herald Sun reporting it as suspicious i believe. Fire investigators won't have been in yet so i'd doubt its confirm just more that there isn't any other obvious cause.

The Strathbogie fire seemed to have started as a Hay Shed fire.


Also about the work the large air tankers did, based on tracking it seemed from the very beginning they and 2 small bombers focused on the NE flank, with the aim to keep that fire activity to as little as possible while the choppers worked on the head of the fire. This fire is almost a text book example of what we have the big bombers for.

Honestly considering the length of time this fire had to run SE'ly and the smoke cloud visible i'm surprised it didn't go way further, seems there wasn't much considerable spotting.

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Suprized to see this ... suggests (though of course I'm not in a position to say) that control has been lost of the northern flank under strong wind.

Not really, they went down to the Little River fire but from all reports it was more of an exercise/practice as by that time crews were only blacking out. They are over the Rosedale fire now.

Just paged out

GRASS FIRE JUMPED ROAD 1519 ROSEDALE-LONGFORD RD ROSEDALE

Is South East Australia set for a major heatwave next week?