Victoria is losing volunteer firefighters and its bushfire plan is out of date, a review into the state's deadly summer fires says.
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Five people died, 458 homes were damaged or destroyed and more than 1.5 million hectares razed as swathes of the state burned throughout the summer.
A review into the horror season has found the state's bushfire plan, from 2014, is out of date, because of contentious firefighting reforms.
The Metropolitan Fire Brigade and career County Fire Authority services were abolished and replaced by Fire Services Victoria on July 1. The CFA is now volunteer-only.
The 2019-20 bushfire season review, tabled in parliament on Friday, said the number of volunteer firefighters had declined over the past three years.
But the number of career firefighters grew.
The report said Victoria's 2014 bushfire plan was due to be replaced in December.
It made 17 recommendations, including improving evacuation plans for high-risk and isolated communities.
Locals and tourists were trapped in the remote town of Mallacoota over New Year's before being evacuated by the defence force.
Australian Associated Press
