Forest Fire Management Victoria crews are set to ignite a seven-hectare planned burn at Banksia Track, Cockatoo today.
Residents in Cockatoo and surrounding suburbs may see and smell smoke on Thursday and in the days following.
All walking tracks within Wrights Forest, Cockatoo will be closed for several days, until the burns are deemed safe.
Deputy chief fire officer Chris Eagle said that under current health advice, planned burning can continue as normal for now.
“If that changes, we will make any adjustments necessary, in consultation with Environmental Protection Authority, Department of Health and Human Services and Emergency Management Victoria,” he said.
“Undertaking these planned burns will reduce the size of bushfires and make them easier for our firefighters to control, in turn helping to protect the surrounding community.
“We are taking every opportunity to burn while conditions allow and it is safe to do so.”
Weather permitting, the burn will be ignited on 26 March with crews patrolling the burn for several days following.
FFMVic will work with the CFA and the Bureau of Meteorology to ensure conditions are suitable for burning.
To find out when and where planned burns are happening, visit www.vic.gov.au/plannedburns or call 1800 226 226.
