Member for Western Victoria Bev McArthur, along with Member for Wannon Dan Tehan and Member for Polwarth Richard Riordan, have assembled a group of speakers with specialist knowledge to address key concerns.

"There has been much discussion around the need to prepare better for fire in our dry and sunburnt country," Ms McArthur said.

Among the speakers will be fire research scientist David Packham, community advocate Jill Porter, Corangamite mayor Neil Trotter and Indigenous elder Robert Lowe Senior.

Ms McArthur said the speakers would cover a range of issues including unsafe energy infrastructure, Indigenous fire prevention methods, forests, farming and roadside vegetation.

She said the Labor government had failed Victorians when it came to hazard reduction burning, meeting only one fifth of the recommended target set by the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.

In addition to that, she said the government was refusing to adopt Indigenous burning practices on a large scale.

"It's about time we actually started respecting Indigenous culture by letting traditional owners teach us how to use their effective land management methods, which have worked for thousands of years," Ms McArthur said. "If somebody has got a solution to bushfire risk mitigation - I think we ought to use it.

"This tragic bushfire season shows that we don't have the luxury of being fussy over what methods we use.

"This is a real crisis."

Ms McArthur has also raised concerns about livestock not having access to drinkable water in fire affected areas.

She said cattle may need to be relocated and has called on farmers in the district to help.

"This is a crisis with the bushfires burning agricultural land and contaminating water supplies, farmers desperately require agistment and clean water for their stock," Ms McArthur said.

She has also urged councils with out-of-control roadside vegetation to allow farmers to access the grass for feed.

The public meeting will be held at the Terang Civic Hall on Friday, January 24 at 1.30pm.

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