Quick support

MAY I congratulate new Casey councillor Simon Curtis.
His quick support in taking up the five motions unanimously passed by the people of Harkaway at two well attended public meetings on improving bushfire safety in the north of Casey is sincerely appreciated by the people.
The meeting on 23 February was packed to and overflowing out the doors. The second meeting was given only one week’s notice!
It is becoming patently obvious that with climate change, greatly improved fire safety measures like removing excess fire fuel, including more and earlier mowing-slashing roadsides and reserves will be required, even in suburbs like Narre Warren South.
There will need to be better evacuation access roads, warning sound-sirens and we all must give more serious consideration throughout Casey’s whole large area.
With bushfires reaching into previously thought safe suburban areas like Narre Warren South, where seven houses were destroyed, it is obvious this is not just a north Casey matter.
Did Casey’s fire safety officer and the Casey CEO make sure enough early and follow-up mowing and slashing of reserves and roadsides was efficiently done?
Much of Harkaway’s roadsides had grown grass up to one metre high and even after four requests had not been mown/slashed until two days prior to Black Saturday, 7 February.
If that was also the case in the Narre Warren South reserve abutting the seven houses it is easy to see why they were burnt down.
Syd Pargeter,
Harkaway.