Bushfires are a part of life in Victoria, but too many of those fires are either deliberately or recklessly lit.

Crime Stoppers Victoria is joining with the State’s Emergency Services including police and fire services in an offensive against those who put the lives and livelihoods of many Victorians at stake through either deliberately or recklessly lighting fires.

“We are asking the community to be our eyes and ears over summer” said Crime Stoppers Victoria CEO, Samantha Hunter.

“When you call Crime Stoppers we are able to confidentially pass your information on to Victoria Police for investigation. It may allow the Police to complete an investigation or eliminate someone from their enquiries and quickly move the investigation forward.

Even small pieces of information may be the last piece in the puzzle that Police are seeking” said Ms Hunter.

As the State continues through the hot spell many Victorians spend time outdoors, it is more important than ever to stay alert and aware of fire conditions and how you manage fire, whether they are in situations of work or play. Always check your local fire ratings and take appropriate precautions when venturing into areas in which you are not familiar.

The community is being asked to remain vigilant and to look out for dangerous fire behavior, whether it is keeping an eye out for people who may be deliberately lighting fires or people who are not aware of the dangers of fire on high fire days whose actions cause a recklessly lit fire to get out of control.

Crime Stoppers are asking the community to take particular care with activities such as using tools which create sparks, or not extinguishing a campfire or bbq properly if you are out enjoying yourselves in our parks and gardens.

All members of the community are being urged to have a Fire Plan as recent fires have demonstrated that fires on the urban fringe can impact on people who don’t normally consider themselves at risk.

Victoria’s Emergency Services agencies have a long and proud tradition of working together to keep the community safe and Crime Stoppers Victoria is proud to join them in a joint effort to reduce the rate of deliberate and reckless fires” said Crime Stoppers Victoria CEO Samantha Hunter. “We are urging the community to be part of this important community safety campaign. Ifyou think you have information about someone in your community who is deliberately lighting fires call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 for a confidential conversation. If you see smoke or flames call 000 immediately”.

Severe penalties can be enforced by Victoria Police including fines of up to $34,000 and 15 years in jail for reckless behavior that starts a fire.