After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the War, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. But by today’s standards, the technology was primitive and the reception poor unless the user was on a high point somewhere. The radio signal was "line-of-sight" and bounced between fire towers and relay transmitters across the mountains back to the District offices. The more secure and versatile State Mobile Radio (SMR) digital trunk system came into operation in about 1995. Upgraded Tait Radios were purchased in 2014 after recommendations of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission. But it was the convergence of separate technologies such as 4G mobile phones, high-capacity and light-weight lithium batteries, Wi-Fi, the ever-expanding internet, cloud data storage, digital cameras, GPS, personal organisers and hundreds of supporting Apps into powerful smartphones and tablets which revolutionised bushfire communications from the mid-2000s.Radio with handsetSTC - Standard Telephones and Cables Ltdbushfire, radios, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Victoria once had well over one hundred fire lookouts and firetowers. Fire lookouts, or observation posts, were often just a clearing on a hill or a vantage point, whereas firetowers were definite structures. There are at least three categories of firetowers… (1) tree perches, (2) four-legged towers made of either wood or steel, as well as (3) hilltop cabins and observatories. Many were established by the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) in the 1920s, but the network was expanded rapidly in response to recommendations of the Stretton Royal Commission after the 1939 Black Friday bushfires. The wooden towers were often built by bush craftsmen like legendary FCV overseer Clem Heather from Orbost. But advances in aerial reconnaissance and radio technology led to the gradual reduction in the number of fixed towers. FFMV now operates 72 firetowers. The CFA, Melbourne Water, Hancock Victorian Plantations (HVP) also operate some, the Army has one at Puckapunyal overlooking the live-firing range. Only two remaining fire towers of this design remain in Victoria (Mt Little Dick and Big Tower in the Mullungdung State Forest). Mt Nowa Nowa and Stringers Knob burnt down in the 2019/20 bushfiresLarge model of an Reef Hills fire tower. Presumably used for instructional purposes. Traditional FCV four legged design with three landings and closed cabin.bushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)