General News
23 December, 2025
Eyes on the horizon: fire towers gear up for summer across the Wimmera
With just a few days to Christmas and the end of 2025 near, many will be looking forward to days off, but for some, they are entering their busiest time.
Among our essential workers, Police, Ambulance, CFA, SES, and hospitals are groups that keep an eye on the horizon from fire towers in high-fire-risk areas and are most likely to be the first to alert services when there is a fire in the region.
They are specially trained fire tower observers.
They work with Fire Management in the Wimmera and across Victoria, watching for the first signs of smoke from the fire towers dotted throughout the state, especially in highly dense growth areas in parks and camping areas.
There are 64 lookout towers across Victoria, 11 in the Grampians region, and four in the Wimmera district, operated by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.
Fire lookout observers complete on-the-job training and are typically rostered during the fire danger period each year.
They can be activated before and after the period if there is elevated fire danger or a lightning forecast.
"The last two fire seasons have been incredibly challenging in the Wimmera, with large fires impacting the communities of Dadswell Bridge, Pomonal, Halls Gap, Goroke, and Dimboola," Lauren Todman, Wimmera District manager, said.
"Forest Fire Management in the Wimmera and across the state is prepared for a busy fire season in 2025/26.
“We have four fire lookout observers trained and ready to work in our fire towers located at Big Hill in Stawell, Mt Arapiles, Mt Bepcha, and Reids Lookout in the Grampians National Park.
“In the Wimmera District, 20 recruits have completed relevant firefighting, four-wheel drive, and other Departmental training.
"These seasonal firefighters will work closely with the permanent field staff undertaking a variety of land management, fuel management, readiness, and response activities.”
Staff in the Wimmera have attended several small fires in recent months, including unattended campfires at recreation sites, a timely reminder to ensure campers fully extinguish a campfire when they are in the State Forests or Parks, and make sure to check for fire ban days before lighting a fire.
The spokesperson for DEECA said the Australian Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Summer 2025/26 predicts a warmer-than-average summer and an increase in fire risk across many parts of Victoria.
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