Volunteer firefighters in Victoria’s central north are so against renewable energy vegetation and transmission strains of their space they are going to let fires burn round them reasonably than sort out the blazes.
Captains from 5 brigades wrote to the Nation Hearth Authority (CFA) and the state authorities to say they aren’t ready to combat fires close to or involving infrastructure such because the Victoria to New South Wales Interconnector (VNI West).
VNI West is a deliberate transmission line that will run for a whole lot of kilometres via Victorian farmland, resulting in offended protests from farmers who say they are not looking for it on their land.
The road is deliberate for ‘excessive of dry land farming space, the place we’ve a six month fireplace hazard interval,’ Gre Gre Village CFA Brigade captain Peter Knights informed Day by day Mail Australia.
‘It will get very dry and scorching and we’ve pretty vital fireplace occasions, and it locations a barrier to us having the ability to assault or combat any working grass fires as a result of we will not transfer below the transmission strains due to the smoke being conductive.
Volunteer firefighters (pictured) in Victoria’s central north are so against renewable energy vegetation and transmission strains they are going to let fires burn round them reasonably than sort out the blazes
‘And it runs the danger of what we name a flash over, the place the electrical energy at a excessive voltage will arch to the bottom, and should you’re beneath it, it should kill you.’
Mr Knights and his fellow firefighters additionally object to the VNI West because of the financial worth of the land it’s deliberate to run throughout.
‘They’re putting this transmission line and likewise putting a renewable power zone excessive of a number of the greatest grain rising and livestock producing nation,’ he mentioned.
‘That renewable power zone should not be over productive farmland.’
In addition to volunteers from CFA Brigades in Gre Gre Village, Traynors Lagoon, Gooroc, Callawadda and Wallaloo East, the group claimed it had additionally ‘acquired commitments from an additional 19 impacted brigades’.
In an announcement, the group mentioned it’s also ‘trying so as to add the assist of many extra both in becoming a member of our proposed motion or taking their very own variation of motion’.
‘We see the imposition of all this infrastructure and our requirement to then defend that asset that is been imposed on us, (that it) will divide our communities,’ Mr Knights mentioned.
He denied that the group is pushed by an anti-renewables agenda, saying VNI West is being put ‘via the fallacious space and it is imposing additional threat’.
‘There is not any political alignment with this group, however there can be political persuasions or ideas inside the particular person members.
‘We’re not saying that we’re pro-nuclear or pro-coal, however we’re definitely saying renewables within the fallacious spot is a foul thought and it is actually been imposed on us with out correct session.’
Mr Knights mentioned, nevertheless, that utilizing renewable power is ‘solely a brief time period answer. We’re placing wind generators up which have a 25 yr life … what’s after that?’
He denied that the group is funded by any fossil gas backers.
‘We’re 5 very small fireplace brigades of locals and our funds is all self-funded, as a result of it isn’t costing us a lot to place a hand up and say we’re not turning out.’
The purpose of the group is to get ‘a minimum of a real dialogue round what’s anticipated of volunteers and the influence on communities the place these items are positioned’.
Mr Knights mentioned their marketing campaign can be about making certain the areas the place the VNI West is proposed to undergo are protected and may entice folks to reside there in future.
The road is deliberate for ‘excessive of dry land farming space, the place we’ve a six-month fireplace hazard interval,’ Gre Gre Village CFA Brigade captain Peter Knights mentioned. The firefighters involved are pictured
‘You are trying to perpetuate your space as a very good place to be and it is fairly arduous if nobody desires to reside there as a result of there is a tick, tick, tick of a wind tower over your head, or it is only a completely completely different place to be than what it has been,’ he mentioned.
CFA’s deputy chief officer Brett Boatman mentioned they’re working with ‘members on points round combating fires close to transmission strains and renewable power sources corresponding to photo voltaic farms and battery power storage options’.
‘The considerations from our CFA members has been heard and we’re working with them to make sure the proper info is on the market,’ Mr Boatman informed Day by day Mail Australia.
‘CFA acknowledges the considerations of the neighborhood and respects our members’ rights to have interaction in issues related to their native communities.’
