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Seacombe fire prompts calls for greater fuel reduction, improved firebreaks and stronger emergency access around Loch Sport communitiesThe Seacombe fire has prompted calls for increased fuel reduction, improved firebreaks and emergency access, with Loch Sport residents seeking stronger bushfire prevention measures. By news@gippsland - 28th September 2026 - Back to News The State Government has been repeatedly warned about its failure to undertake fuel reduction burns, and I share the concerns of local residents following the Seacombe fire. Loch Sport relies on a single road in and out, and this latest fire again demonstrated how quickly that access can be compromised during an emergency. 
Loch Sport’s single access road remains vulnerable during emergencies, prompting calls for fuel reduction, improved firebreaks and a secondary escape route Bushfire risk reductionThe community is calling for increased fuel reduction, wider and better-maintained firebreaks, and improved emergency alternatives, including consideration of a secondary escape route. I support those calls and will continue to work with my state colleagues to get more action, I have also written to the Secretary of the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action seeking urgent advice on what action will be taken before summer. One of the most practical things governments can do to reduce bushfire risk is manage fuel loads through planned burning, hazard reduction, and properly maintained firebreaks, but under Labor, a lack of resources has meant a steady decline in fuel reduction burns, with fuel reduction in Victoria averaging just 1%, well below the 5% recommended by the Royal Commission. We need ‘more boots and less suits’ when it comes to practical environmental management: more people on the ground reducing fuel loads, maintaining tracks and firebreaks and protecting communities, and fewer bureaucrats writing reports and making excuses after the event. Fire prevention callThe events at Seacombe are another warning that we can’t afford complacency. The State Government needs to listen to local communities, make sure land management agencies have the resources to do the job properly, and undertake practical mitigation work before we are confronted by another major fire. I also want to acknowledge the extraordinary CFA volunteers, emergency services personnel and everyone working behind the scenes who responded to the Seacombe fire and continue to protect our communities. They put themselves on the frontline when fires occur, and the very least governments can do is back them with strong prevention, preparedness and practical land management. Pictures from Darren Chester MP website.
Source: http://gippsland.com/ Published by: news@gippsland.com
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