Author: John Blackburn

Categories
Home Fire Safety

PAVS 2025

Prepare Your Property

PAVS - Property Advice Visit Service 2025

Prepare Your Property

Plan, Protect, Survive.

Spring is with us and now is the time to start thinking about how well prepared are you and your property in the event of a bushfire.

Upwey CFA provides Property Advice Visit Service (PAVS), an awareness-raising program delivered by trained brigade members. PAVS is a free service that typically involves a 15- 20 minute meeting at your property. You will receive

  • publications
  • planning templates
  • information about your local risk and
  • preparing for a bushfire

Visit upweycfa.org.au/community-support/ for more information about PAVS and how to book a visit.

See also upweycfa.org.au/prepare-your-property/

More information about preparing your property can be found at
cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/how-to-prepare-your-property

Categories
Announcement Brigade Activities

Community Awareness Message 1-2025

Hot Fire Prop 202508

Fire Fighting Training September 2025

Community Awareness Message 1-2025

Two CFA training props will be positioned in the temporary car park beside UT Crash until early October.

Local brigades will be using them at various times to conduct fire fighting training drills. These drills are only performed in a controlled environment with a number of pre-planned safety precautions in place.

If you do see fire in the general area of the props or car park, before calling 000 please check it is not from one of these props being used.

See also our recent visit to the CFA South East Training Ground for hot fire training.

Hot Fire Prop 202508
Categories
Fire Awareness & Safety

Burning Off Safely?

burn-off pile

Burning Off Tips

Are You Burning Off Safely?

For many people, burning-off vegetation is an effective way to prepare and maintain their property. Here are some important steps to take before you light your burn-off pile.
 
  1. Check your council’s local law regarding when and where you can burn off?
  2. Check the weather and don’t burn-off on days with more than a light wind.
  3. For small fires have access to a hose or at least 10 litres of water. For larger fires appropriate firefighting equipment and/or machinery may be required.
  4. Create a 3-metre clearance of all flammable material around your whole burn-off site.
  5. Register your burn-off by calling 1800 668 511
  6. Ensure your burn-off is completely extinguished before you leave it.

Share this with neighbours and friends.
For more details, download the “Are You Burning Off Safely?” brochure at https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/…/how-to-prepare…/burning-off

Burn Off Checklist
Categories
Brigade Activities

Hot Fire Training 2025

Gas fire attack training
Gas fire attack training

Hot Fire Training

Hot Fire Training June 2025

Members from Upwey CFA recently attended the CFA South East Training Ground to practice and enhance a number of skills including supressing different types of fires, search and rescue, team work and incident management.

We regularly practice these so our crews are always ready to respond to incidents in a quick, safe and effective manner.

Here are a few photos showing different types of fires.

 

Not all members are firefighters.  Learn more about volunteering  options with CFA? 

Gas fire attack training
Gas fire attack training
Structure fire attack training
Car fire attack training
Categories
Home Fire Safety

Chimney Fire Risk

Clean your chimney annually

Chimney Fire Risk

Reduce Your Chimney Fire Risk.

CFA is encouraging residents to keep themselves safe by checking and maintaining their fireplaces, chimneys, fireboxes and flues.
 
Even though the cooler months are now well upon us, it’s not to late to take action.
 
Spending a few minutes to check your chimney could be one of the most important fire safety actions you take this season.
 
You can easily check for creosote build-up or obstructions by simply using a torch before lighting a fire. Or you can engage a professional chimney sweep to check and clean your chimney for you.
 
CFA recommends you have your chimney cleaned annually and regularly test your smoke alarms to ensure they are working.
Clean your chimney annually
Categories
Events

2nd Chance Book Sale 2025

2nd Chance Book Sale 2025

2nd Chance Book Sale 2025

The ever popular Upwey CFA 2nd Chance Book Sale returns bigger and better than before  Saturday 16th August 2025. 

This year includes Books, Vinyl Records and Art.

Doors open 9:00am – 2pm.

With prices starting at just $1 there will be lots of bargains to be had.

Donations can be dropped of at the station Sunday mornings between 10:00am – 11:00am from 13th July 2025 onwards. We do ask all donations are in a saleable condition.

See you there.

2nd Chance Book Sale 2025
Categories
Home Fire Safety Incidents

Heater Fire 2025

Heater fire 1

Heater Fire Incident June 2025

Crews from Upwey CFA recently responded to the report of a heater fire inside a house. The cause of the fire was found to be clothes left to dry close to an electric heater had ignited.

Fortunately the occupants were alerted by a smoke alarm sounding and were able to take quick action to prevent the fire spreading and taking hold of the house. The result was only minor damage inside the house and a lot of smoke throughout which the crews were able to clear.

This incident serves as a timely reminder when drying clothes always keep them at least a metre from the heater and that working smoke alarms save lives.

upweycfa.org.au/a-metre-from-the-heater/

upweycfa.org.au/smoke-alarms/

More about smoke alarms

 

Subscribe to MyCFA to get tailored information on how to plan and prepare for fires if you live, travel or work in Victoria.

Heater fire 1
Heater fire 2
Categories
Brigade Activities News

GFF Graduates June 2025

GFF Graduates June 2025

GFF Graduates June 2025

Upwey CFA GFF Graduates June 2025.

Congratulations go out to Ross and Josh, two of our recent recruits, who successfully completed their General Fire Fighter (GFF) course over the weekend.

They will both become operational members and further strengthen the response capability of Upwey CFA.

Welcome aboard.

About how to become an operational member.

GFF Graduates June 2025
Categories
Home Fire Safety

A Metre From The Heater

A meter from the heater

1 Metre From The Heater

Remember 1 Metre From The Heater

Many house fires are caused by clothes being too close to a heater, especially when left to dry over night.

When drying clothes in front of a heater always remember to keep them “A Metre From The Heater“.

Don’t forget to make sure you regularly test and clean your smoke alarms.  More about smoke alarms.

A meter from the heater
Categories
Brigade Activities

Stair Climb 2025

Melbourne Firefighters Stair Climb 2025

Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb 2025

Melbourne Firefighters Stair Climb 2025

🚨🔥 We’re Climbing for a Cause! 🔥🚨 

Five of our dedicated Upwey CFA volunteer firefighters — Beth, Darron, Jay, Jesse, and Mike — are taking on the Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb 2025! 🧑‍🚒🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ 

This year’s climb is more than just a physical challenge — it’s a powerful mission to raise vital funds for Cancer Research and Crisis Support. 🎗️💛

 
For our brigade, this is deeply personal. Many of us have lost loved ones to cancer and mental health struggles. And this year, Mike joins our team of climbers just one year after his own battle with bowel cancer. A strong team working together to raise hope, awareness, and funds for others facing tough battles. 💪❤️  
 
We’re also incredibly grateful to be supported in our training by our amazing fitness coach Maddie, who’s helping our team stay strong and ready for the challenge ahead. 🏋️‍♀️🔥 💥 
 
Help us reach our fundraising goal! Your support — big or small — will directly help those in need, funding life-saving research and support services. 
 
👉 Donate or learn more about our climbers here: 🔗 https://www.firefighterclimb.org.au/station/cfa/upwey/ 
 
🙏 Thank you for backing your local volunteers and making a real difference in our community.

More about Upwey CFA
Upwey CFA Stair Climb 2025