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wood fires at Arapiles 22-May-2014 At 1:02:29 PM Climboholic

Message

On 22/05/2014 Snacks wrote:
>On 22/05/2014 Climboholic wrote:
>>On 21/05/2014 kieranl wrote:
>>>It's illegal to leave a camp-fire unattended, whether it's in a proper
>>>fireplace or not.
>>
>>Show me a link to this law and I'll stop leaving fires unattended like
>>I have without incident on a weekly basis for the last 30 years.
>
>National Parks and Wildlife Regulation 2002 Section 14
>
>Lighting a fire in a national park other than in a fireplace, when a total
>fire ban is in place; leaving a fire unattended,;
>failing to report or extinguish a fire; handle any flammable substance
>in a way likely to cause a fire
>
>30 penalty units
>
>http://www.aic.gov.au/crime_types/property%20crime/arson/arson%20legislation/summary.html
>>

That's NSW not VIC, but thanks for the link. As I vaguely recalled, there is no Victorian law against leaving a fire unattended unless it's during a fire danger period.

Country Fire Authority Act 1958 39 Prohibited actions near fires
During a fire danger period: leaving a burning fire without leaving another in charge or extinguishing it; being in the open air and throwing down or dropping a lighted cigarette, match or other burning material; undertaking certain other fire hazardous acts; failing to report a burning fire

Forests Act 1958 63 Restrictions as to lighting etc. fires in certain areas
Lighting - intentionally or negligently and where authority should have been obtained - or maintaining a fire in the open air in a state forest or national park; failing to prevent the spread of a fire; leaving a fire without taking reasonable precautions to prevent it spreading or causing injury.

You could argue that having the fire in a fireplace and clearing leaf litter around it are reasonable precautions. Again, it depends on the conditions.

I don't doubt that it's very dry down there and having fires probably isn't a good idea. I'm sure Fiona thought she was doing the right thing and from the description of the conditions she's probably right.