We recognise that bushfires are a serious concern in regional Victoria, and landholders and the community have told us that they are concerned the proposed Western Renewables Link may impact firefighting efforts in their area. Potential impacts to fire risk and firefighting efforts are a critical consideration for the planning and design of the Western Renewables Link and we have been engaging regularly with the relevant authorities, including the CFA.

In Victoria, transmission lines are highly regulated to ensure they are designed, maintained and operated safely to prevent fire ignition. During operation, Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) audits AusNet to make sure transmission lines are maintained to manage the risk of fire ignition. In compliance with ESV regulations and to ensure the risk of a fire being ignited is minimised, we have in place Vegetation Management Plans and Bushfire Mitigation Plans for both the distribution and transmission networks. You can view the existing plans on the AusNet website at www.ausnetservices.com.au/about/network-regulation/regulatory-publications.

In the event of a fire near our existing transmission lines, we work with Emergency Management Victoria, Fire Rescue Victoria, Forest Fire Management Victoria and the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and follow all agreed and mandatory directions. The CFA’s standard operating procedures include processes for safely working around high-voltage transmission lines and large pylons in bushfires, and other hazardous conditions. We also work with Emergency Management Victoria and the CFA to ensure aerial firefighting can operate in the vicinity of high-voltage transmission lines.

We are engaging with the CFA in relation to this project and the potential impacts on fire risk and firefighting efforts through several forums, including the Technical Reference Group for the EES. In addition, the EES will provide an in-depth assessment of the potential bushfire impacts of the project including consideration of the potential for fire ignition, impact on firefighting efforts (ground-based and aerial), limitation of hazard reduction burns, and potential risk of the transmission line infrastructure preventing people from escaping bushfire.

For further information, view AusNet Services' Managing fire risk - electricity transmission network fact sheet, the Energy Safe Victoria information sheet titled Electricity Transmission Lines – Bushfire Management and Community Safety and CFA’s Firefighting and Transmission Lines FAQs.