SOUTH-WEST residents have been warned to prepare early for the fire season after a wet winter provided enormous growth and the potential for grass fires across the district.
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CFA commander Mark Gunning said good preparation and planning helped protect people and mitigate against fire damage done to infrastructure and businesses.
"Rolling the dice and thinking a fire won't ever come your way is foolish," he said.
"Because one day it will."
He said those who were prepared could make better decisions when a fire was advancing and they would be "clear thinking when the pressure was on."
"Of course the safest thing is to be out of a bushfire area on extreme fire danger days," he said.
Mr Gunning was the incident controller for the St Patrick's Day Fires and said the Bureau of Meteorology had issued a La Nina watch which was more indicative of drier weather.
"So we'll see the late summer and we'll certainly see things dry out and have a risk of grass fires," he said.
Mr Gunning said the bumper spring meant there was a heightened risk of grass fires and fires involving crops throughout the spring and summer.
He said although the fire danger period traditionally started in late November early December in the south-west, it was crucial to have a fire plan ready and properties tidied early.
"You can't be waiting till March or April for those shorter days and hoping for the best," Mr Gunning said.
"As they say hope is not a strategy or a plan, you need to plan and prepare if you're going to survive a bushfire."
He said people should register their planned burns and be aware of local government rules on what can and can't be burnt.
Mr Gunning said the CFA could also provide advice on how to prepare for the fire season.
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