FIRE restrictions will come into force in Geelong next week amid escalating concerns of a potentially catastrophic bushfire season in the region.
Scarcity of water looms as a major challenge for brigades as unforgiving dry weather continues to sap fuel of moisture and heighten the volatility of bush and grassland, the Geelong Advertiser reports.
Country Fire Authority region seven operations manager Bob Barry said the early rollout of restrictions in Geelong, Queenscliff, Surf Coast and Golden Plains highlighted the gravity of the situation.
"I give warnings every year and I don't want to be like the boy who cried wolf but indicators are that this year might be significant, with the very much below average rainfall, particularly in the north of the region," Mr Barry told the Geelong Advertiser.
"The farming community we really rely on for intelligence is telling us that this is the driest they've seen it for years.
"The Bureau of Meteorology is telling us to expect above average temperatures for day and night time so that has significant issues for us as a fire service."
Fire restrictions will ban people from burning off in open air without a permit from a municipal fire prevention officer, as well as heighten awareness of danger.
"We used to bring fire restrictions on the week before Christmas but the norm for us now is late October and early November, really the dry year is becoming the normal year for us," Mr Barry said.
Mr Barry has applied for funding to have five water tankers with up to 30,000 litre capacity on standby for extreme danger days.
