Tostaree fire review

The fire at Tostaree on February 1, 2011 was the most significant for the 2010-11 Victorian bushfire season and since the February 2009 fires.

As a result, the review of the Tostaree fire provided the first real chance to measure arrangements put in place through the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (VBRC), and since the establishment of the Fire Services Commissioner and the Fire Services Commissioner Act 2010.

The Fire Services Commissioner requested the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner (OESC) undertake a review of the fire, which impacted communities in and around Tostaree, Gippsland, on February 1, 2011.

The terms of reference for the review included:

• The control strategies implemented by the incident controller for the multi-agency level 3 fire
• Effective issuing of community information and warnings to assist the community to make informed decisions
• Line of control at the incident, regional and state levels
• Fire safety preparedness levels of communities affected by this event

The Fire Services Commissioner received the report from OESC on July 25, 2011.

The review contained 29 recommendations, which were subsequently accepted by the Fire Services Commissioner.

An action plan was developed by the Fire Services Commissioner, CFA, DSE and MFB to address the 29 recommendations outlined in the Tostaree Review.

The action plan sets out very clearly what key work is already being undertaken, as part of the VBRC recommendations, and what further work will occur as a result of the review.