Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Country Fire Authority Act 1958 - SECT 33

Determination of sole responsibility for fire suppression in certain areas

33. Determination of sole responsibility for fire suppression in certain areas



			(1)    (a)	The Authority and the Secretary may jointly determine that either the Authority or the Secretary shall be solely responsible for the suppression of fires in any part of Victoria which lies outside the metropolitan fire district.


   (b)  Notice of every such determination describing by plan or otherwise the
        boundaries of the part of Victoria affected by the determination shall
        be published in the Government Gazette and a newspaper circulating
        generally in that part of Victoria and thereupon the Authority or the
        Secretary (as the case may be) shall be solely responsible accordingly
        for the suppression of fires in that part of Victoria.

(2) The powers and authorities conferred by this Act on the Chief Officer in
respect of any district are exercisable as follows:

   (a)  If there is danger of a fire occurring or a fire is burning or has
        been recently extinguished at a place-

   (i)  in any part of the country area of Victoria (not being a part of
        Victoria in which by reason of a determination made under subsection
        (1), the Secretary is solely responsible for the suppression of
        fires); or

   (ii) in any part of Victoria in which by reason of a determination made
        under subsection (1), the Authority is solely responsible for the
        suppression of fires- by the Chief Officer or any officer in charge of
        any brigade or group of brigades who is present at that place or, if
        the Chief Officer or other officer is not present at that place or is
        unable to exercise those powers and authorities, by any forest officer
        or any officer of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade who is present at that
        place;

   (b)  If there is danger of a fire occurring or a fire is burning or has
        been recently extinguished at a place-

   (i)  on any land within any forest, national park or protected public land
        (not being land in a part of Victoria in which by reason of a
        determination made under subsection (1), the Authority is solely
        responsible for the suppression of fires); or

   (ii) in any part of Victoria in which by reason of a determination under
        subsection (1), the Secretary is solely responsible for the
        suppression of fires- by any forest officer present at that place or,
        if a forest officer is not present at that place or is unable to
        exercise those powers and authorities, by the Chief Officer or any
        officer in charge of any brigade or group of brigades who is present
        at that place;



   (c)  If there is danger of fire occurring or a fire is burning or has
        recently been extinguished at a place in any part of the metropolitan
        fire district, by an officer of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade who is
        present at that place or, if an officer of the Metropolitan Fire
        Brigade is not present at that place or is unable to exercise those
        powers and authorities, by the Chief Officer or any officer in charge
        of any brigade or brigades who is present at that place.