Conservation Regulator authorised officers, along with Forest Fire Management Victoria, will patrol popular camping and recreation areas.
Officers will look for unsafe campfires to prevent bushfires being started by negligence and penalise people found in breach of campfire safety rules.
They will also remind visitors about campfire safety and encourage people to report suspicious or illegal activities, including unattended campfires, to 136 186.
The following campfire safety rules are always in force on public land:
• In State Forests, use a purpose-built fireplace if provided, otherwise use a trench at least 30 cm deep.
• Branches and logs on campfires must be less than one metre long and smaller than one cubic metre in total size.
• Never leave a campfire alight or unattended.
• Fully extinguish your campfire with water, not soil - cool to touch = cool to leave.
• All campfires are banned on Total Fire Ban days.
The maximum penalty for lighting a fire during a Total Fire Ban is $39,652 or two years in jail or both, and on the spot fines of up to $496 can be issued for people breaching other campfire safety rules.
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