The 2009 Bushfire Royal Commission highlighted a need to identify Neighbourhood Safer Places (NSP) in towns that were assessed as being at high risk of wildfire. Timboon, Port Campbell and Princetown were identified as the high bushfire risk towns in the Corangamite Shire although they were not included on the initial list of 52 high-risk towns across the state.

In a report to council's last meeting, the shire's municipal emergency management officer Arno Van der Schans said suitable NSP locations had been identified in Timboon and Port Campbell. "Three sites have been identified for the Princetown NSP but all have failed the CFA assessment process and cannot therefore proceed any further," Mr Van der Schans said.

He said preliminary work had also started on developing NSPs in Simpson, Derrinallum, Lismore and Skipton.

Corangamite residents are now being urged to comment on the shire's draft municipal fire management plan for 2012-15.

Environment and emergency manager Lyall Bond said the plan was an updated version of the existing plan which had been expanded to focus on structural and hazardous materials fires as well as bushfires.

"The plan is concerned with co-ordinating the implementation of measures designed to minimise the occurrence of bushfires, structural fires and hazardous material fires in the Corangamite Shire," Mr Bond said. The plan has been developed in consultation with the municipal fire management planning committee, the CFA, Department of Sustainability and Environment and VicRoads.

Mr Bond encouraged public comment on the plan as it was vital for the community to be informed about processes around fire management.

"Our intention is to ensure all agencies and authorities with a role in planning for and responding to fires work together in a co-ordinated manner."

The draft plan is available for viewing at council offices and online at www.corangamite.vic.gov.au. Comments close at the end of July.