New digital fire danger rating sign installed near Preston Beach as 30k funding received for second sign

Visitors and locals in Preston Beach are set to be more informed of the level of fire danger thanks to a newly installed sign.

A digital fire danger rating sign can now be seen by those driving west on Preston Beach Road, helping better alert those in the area to any bushfire threats.

Rather than relying on manual updating by council rangers, the new sign will automatically update based on the information issued by the Department of Fire and Emergency Service.

It includes a message board below the fire danger rating indicator which can be used to relay important messages.

The Shire of Waroona installed the sign with help from Alcoa’s community partnership program.

Waroona Shire president Mike Walmsley said bushfires could start at any time.

“Knowing the current fire danger rating will provide our community with clear advice on what they should do at each level, in turn reducing the risk of being impacted by bushfires and potentially saving lives,” he said.

Preston Beach is located within a high bushfire risk area, with only one road in and out of the town and surrounded by the forested Yalgorup National Park.

It was completely cut off from the rest of the Shire at one point during the 2016 bushfires.

Another sign is set to be installed on Nanga Brook Road for those travelling to Waroona Dam and elsewhere on the Darling Scarp.

It will be funded by a $30,000 grant from the Federal Government’s Disaster Ready Fund which was announced earlier this month.