VICTORIA'S top cop says fire danger ratings are a "tricky area'' and will take time to sink in.
Police commissioner Simon Overland told guests at a Rural Press Club of Victoria lunch in Geelong today that it could take years for people to heed the fire danger message.
"It is particularly challenging because there have been big changes and it takes years for the message to get through,'' Mr Overland said.
Mr Overland was responding to a question from former Victorian Farmers Federation president Simon Ramsay.
Mr Ramsay said his district was given a catastrophic fire danger warning on a day of 43C and very little wind.
"I don't like the term because it scare the community,'' Mr Ramsay said.
Mr Overland said the new ratings were put in place after the interim report of the Bushfire Royal Commission was released.
He said it could take years for the community to come to grips with the ratings.
"The evidence is that it works over time and it takes a long time for the message to come through,'' Mr Overland said.
- A report on Mr Overland's speech will be in next week's Weekly Times.
