ARARAT - Police are reminding people of their responsibilities on days of Total Fire Ban after responding to several illegal outbreaks of fire recently.
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The first occurred on a day of Total Fire Ban on January 28.
Police were called to a property in Banfield Street where a man had lit a fire in the open air in his backyard to cook yabbies.
Despite making full admissions to having lit the fire and extinguishing it on the arrival of police and Country Fire Authority (CFA) the man has been charged with lighting a fire on a day of total fire ban.
On Monday, another day of Total Fire Ban, CFA units were called to extinguish a grass fire which broke out on land in Kirks Hill Road in Moyston.
The fire burnt through 12 to 15 hectares of grassland before it was brought under control.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined but early indications suggested that farm machinery may have been the reason for the blaze.
Activities such as welding, grinding, charring, soldering or gas cutting, relocating bees, extracting honey, rail maintenance, heating bitumen, are banned on Total Fire Ban Days without special permits that apply to these days.
All fires in the open air for burning off grass, scrub, stubble or rubbish are also banned during Total Fire Ban Days.
