Emergency services will be facilitating strictly controlled, escorted access to the Longwood fireground, for specific priority needs only. This is not open to the general public for routine travel.
Access is restricted to:
- Emergency stock feed and water transports
- Emergency services personnel and vehicles
- Essential workers (healthcare workers, utility repairs, critical infrastructure, etc.)
- Personal critical needs (urgent medical supplies)
Departure point:
All escorted convoys will depart from the traffic management point on the Goulburn Valley Highway in Yea.
Escort schedule (departure times):
Please arrive 15 minutes prior. Escorts will depart from the assembly point at the following times only:
- Morning: 8:30 am
- Midday: 12:30 pm
- Afternoon: 3:30 pm
This will continue every day until further notice.
Critical access rules:
- Strict one-hour turnaround: This is a timed service. You will have up to one hour to complete your task before being escorted back out.
- Escort mandatory: You must always remain in the convoy behind the emergency services vehicle. Independent travel within the fire zone is strictly prohibited.
- Operational priority: High risk remains around fire stations and staging areas. Emergency firefighting operations and heavy machinery take priority at all times.
Access is at your own risk:
- The fire-affected area remains a high-risk environment with active hazards. By entering, you acknowledge the following:
- Treefall and falling limbs: Burnt or heat-stressed trees are highly unstable and can fall without warning, even in still conditions.
- Active fire and hot spots: The fire remains active. Expect heavy smoke, smouldering ground, and potential flare-ups near the roadway.
- Unstable ground and ash pits: Burnt-out root systems can create "ash pits" - hollow voids beneath the surface that can collapse under the weight of a person or vehicle.
- Hazardous materials: Be aware of toxic ash from burnt structures, including asbestos and treated timber. Avoid contact with debris.
- Utility hazards: Downed power lines must be treated as live and dangerous.
Important instructions:
- Check-in required: Please be prepared to state your "critical need" or provide work identification to crews at the departure point.
- Stay with your vehicle: For your safety, do not wander from your vehicle or the designated access area.
- Follow directions: You must follow all instructions from emergency services personnel immediately.
These measures are essential to ensure the safety of the community and our responders while facilitating critical recovery and welfare tasks.
