General News
27 October, 2026
CFA encourages preparation ahead of fire season
THE Country Fire Authority (CFA) is encouraging residents to be proactive with fire preparation as warmer weather sets in.
The call comes following increased interest in searches for the CFA and VicEmergency during recent summer periods.
Data from Google Trends showed notable peaks for searches for the CFA and VicEmergency during the summer months of December, January and February.
In particular, the largest spike for both of these topics occurred in January 2026 – VicEmergency saw a peak of around 100 per cent interest, while the CFA had a peak of 30.
The spike coincides with Streatham-Skipton and Larralea fires earlier this year.
Spikes were also recorded between December 2024 and March 2025 coinciding with the Grampians fire, and in February 2024, coinciding with fires in that month.
Camperdown CFA brigade community safety coordinator Sara Blair encouraged residents to continue using the VicEmergency app and website as a source of official information during emergencies.
“The Vic Emergency app is a combined source of information and warnings to keep you informed about emergencies in Victoria,” she said.
“Download it to your phone, set up watch zones, receive alerts and act on warnings to help keep you safe.”
However, searches for the topics of fire safety and smoke detectors remained low over the past five years.
Fire safety recorded very low interest, with Google Trends data an average of one per cent interest between October 2021 and September this year.
While interest fire safety as a query rose by five percent, searches for state-based fire safety had fallen by six percent over the past five years.
Searches for smoke detectors were also low, with an average interest of four per cent and very little variance.
Interest in queries around smoke alarms and detectors both decreased by five per cent, however queries around smoke alarm batteries had increased by 10 per cent.
Ms Blair encouraged residents to take advantage of the Get Fire Ready campaign to speak to their local brigades.
“The CFA is running Get Fire Ready, the organisation’s state-wide community preparedness campaign, running from October 1 to November 3,” she said.
“Get Fire Ready empowers Victorians to take simple, practical actions to prepare their homes, properties, and families before summer.
“We want people to understand the fire risk that exists in our area and what they can do now to be better prepared before summer.
“We encourage everyone to take a few simple steps now rather than waiting until a day of high fire danger.”
“People can prepare their properties by doing simple things such as moving wood piles away from buildings, keeping your grass shorter than 10cm and pruning trees and shrubs around your home.”
Ms Blair said residents were also encouraged to put their hands up and volunteer with their local CFA brigades to help protect their communities.
“Regional and rural communities are still very much in need of more volunteers particularly daytime responders and young members,” she said.
“Our people epitomise the Victorian spirit of community, aiding others in times of great need, and you don’t have to be a firefighter to find a role within CFA.
“Whether you want to be front facing on the fireground, behind the scenes at the fire station or building awareness out at local events, we have a multitude of roles where you can make a positive contribution.”
*This content is part of a paid partnership with Google to promote Google Trends.
