A CAMPFIRE lit to cook breakfast on a day of Total Fire Ban has led to two men being ordered to donate a combined $1500 to the CFA, complete fire safety training and formally apologise to fire officials. The court outcome is the latest in a series of prosecutions involving campfires during Total Fire Bans in Victoria's north-east, with courts imposing more than $11,000 in financial consequences in the past six months. The 61-year-old from Berwick and 40-year-old from Endeavour Hills appeared in Seymour Magistrates' Court this month after their campfire was found burning at Murrindindi Scenic Reserve over summer. A Conservation Regulator patrol detected the illegal campfire at Blackwoods Campground on February 17 when a Total Fire Ban was in place across the North Central Fire District. The court heard the fire had been lit to prepare breakfast and coffee for their camping group. When Authorised Officers attended the campsite, they found burning logs, visible flames, smoke and glowing embers in the fire pit. Under Total Fire Ban conditions, lighting fires in the open air is illegal as it puts lives, property, and the environment at serious risk. Conservation Regulator Hume Manager of Regulatory Operations Greg Chant said that the rules are non-negotiable. “Nobody thinks they'll start a bushfire when they light a campfire for breakfast. But on a day of Total Fire Ban, that's the risk,” Mr Chant said. “In Total Fire Ban conditions, an escaped campfire can quickly become a bushfire, putting lives, property and the environment at risk. “When a Total Fire Ban is in place, the rule is simple: no campfires, no exceptions.” The men were placed on diversion plans, avoiding criminal convictions on the condition that they each complied with court ordered requirements, including that they each donate $750 to the Murrindindi CFA, complete the CFA's Fire Safety Essentials program, provide formal written apologies to fire management officials and be of good behaviour for a period of six months. Since May 2026, courts have ordered more than $11,000 in fines, CFA donations and court fund contributions for offenders who breached Total Fire Ban restrictions with campfires around Mansfield, Lake Eildon and Murrindindi. The Conservation Regulator focuses on campfire safety across the summer months, through targeted compliance patrols, education and close collaboration with Forest Fire Management Victoria to reduce bushfire risk and protect Victorian communities and landscapes. Where campers fail to comply with fire restrictions, enforcement action may be taken, including prosecution. Total Fire Ban declarations are available via the VicEmergency website and app or through the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
