In the AFAC's seasonal outlook said the fire season was expected to be normal in the Wimmera Mallee region and was likely to see an increase in fire potential later in spring.

CFA Ararat District 16 acting assistant chief fire officer Neville Collins said the upcoming summer was most likely going to be an "average" fire season.

"We are not saying it is an above average fire season, it is probably an average fire season," he said.

"It is certainly not looking like it will be a really bad fire season, just an average fire season.

"There is a possibility if we do get fire that there could be some large grass fires.

"We are probably looking more at a grass fire season, not so much a bushfire season."

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Officer Collins said the Ararat area would enter the fire danger period later than usual.

"The Swan Hill area may come into the fire danger period probably late this month," he said.

"Then it will come into the Mallee and then into the west in Horsham and then come down through us.

"We are probably not looking towards December before we go into the fire danger period.

"Then again, anything can happen, it just depends on what sort of hot weather we have coming after this spring rain."

Officer Collins said it was crucial residents had a fire plan leading up to fire season as the AFAC stressed that even an average fire season would still have dangerous days.

"People need to have a plan," he said.

"Mum and dad need to talk to their children and ask what they are going to do on a hot day.

"Do not drive on high risk days, find an alternate route.

"If you do have a grass fire, you might have to walk a couple streets back if you are living on the urban fringe.

"Because fires can spot, it is not just about the fire you can see but they can actually spot ahead, particularly in bush fires.

"Grass fires can travel fairly quickly, up to 25km per hour and that is largely driven by wind."

Officer Collins said many grass and bushfires were preventable if people prepare appropriately.

"It is still outside the fire danger periods so people can still do clean-ups, they can clean up around their yards and have their burn-offs, '' he said.

"They obviously need to follow the guidelines and need to have some water handy for some extinguishment."

"People just need to be aware and be alert about cleaning up their yard, making sure you haven't got wood stacks next to your house."

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The Emergency Management Victoria spring outlook suggests Victoria will endure a wet spring, leading to increased grassfire conditions.

"The seasonal forecast is suggesting that we are going to have a wet spring, leading right up to Christmas, with that there is going to be a lot of growth," officer Collins said.

"Leading into the new year we are probably going to have some long grass on the sides of the roads and in paddocks that are not being harvested.

"We are going to get some warmer weather, a lot of rain and a lot of grass growing.

Officer Collins said Ararat CFA would leave the roadside burning to the local council.

"We don't do a lot of roadside burning; the shires and the councils will handle all of the roadside slashing," he said.

"A lot of other brigades don't do it and they rely on the shires to do the roadside burning.

"The Westmere group do a little more than average, the Westmere group do a little more than average, they are made up of 18 brigades and they do a lot of roadside burning down there.

"If they go too early they will get a second growth, they might be a little early to start doing their roadside cutting at the moment.

"They (council) might try to let it go a little bit further because if they get more rain they will get more growth and they will have to do it again, they would ideally want to have the one cut."

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