Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Country Fire Authority Act 1958 - SECT 30

Powers of officers at fires

30. Powers of officers at fires



(1) Where the Chief Officer believes on reasonable grounds that there is
danger of fire occurring or where a fire is burning or has recently been
extinguished in any urban or rural district the Chief Officer for the purpose
of preventing the occurrence of a fire, of extinguishing or restricting the
spread of the fire or of protecting life or property shall have and may
exercise the following powers and authorities:



* * * * *



   (b)  He shall have the control and direction of-



   (i)  any brigade or brigades present at the scene of the fire; and

   (ii) any persons who voluntarily place their services at his disposal
        either individually or as members of any fire fighting organization
        (whether established by or for the purposes of a statutory authority
        or body corporate or not) whilst they remain present at the scene of
        the fire;

   (c)  He shall have authority either alone or with others under his command
        to enter upon any land house building or premises and if necessary to
        force open any outer or inner doors of any house or building which may
        be on fire or in the near neighbourhood of any fire for the purpose of
        taking any steps which he deems necessary for any of the purposes
        aforesaid, and he may take or give directions for taking any apparatus
        required to be used at a fire into through or upon any land house
        building or premises which he considers convenient for the purpose;

   (ca) The Chief Officer may cause-

   (i)  any vessel, wharf, pier or jetty to be entered upon or into, if
        necessary with force; and

   (ii) any necessary apparatus to be taken upon or into any vessel, wharf,
        pier or jetty;

   (d)  He may take any measures which in the circumstances are reasonable and
        which appear to him to be necessary or expedient for any of the
        purposes aforesaid and in particular he may cause any house building
        or structure to be entered into and taken possession of or pulled down
        or otherwise destroyed or removed, and any fences to be pulled down or
        otherwise destroyed or removed, and any undergrowth trees scrub grass
        stubble weeds or other vegetation to be burnt or otherwise destroyed
        or removed;

   (e)  He may cause water to be shut off from any main pipe channel or other
        works of water supply in order to obtain greater supply and pressure
        of water for the purpose of extinguishing the fire and he may enter or
        give directions for entering any land or premises and may take or
        cause to be taken water from any waterway, lake, lagoon, bore, dam,
        tank, main or pipe or other source of water supply whatsoever; and no
        person or body of persons having the management of any water supply
        shall be liable to any penalty or claim by reason of any interruption
        in the supply of water occasioned by any act matter or thing done
        under this paragraph;

   (f)  He may cause any road or any part thereof in the vicinity of the scene
        of any fire to be closed to traffic and he may direct traffic on any
        part of that road which is not so closed;



   (g)  He may order to withdraw, and (in the event of a failure or a refusal
        to withdraw) remove or direct any member of any fire brigade or any
        member of the police force present at the scene of the fire to remove,
        any persons who interfere by their presence or otherwise with the
        operations of any brigade or who are in or on any land building or
        premises then burning or threatened by fire; and

   (h)  He may at any time pull down or shore up any wall or building damaged
        by fire that may be or may be likely to become dangerous to life or
        property;

        (i)    The Chief Officer may take such other measures as appear
               necessary for the protection of life and property.

(2) In subsection (1)(e), bore has the same meaning as in the Water Act 1989.