Heavy rain over the weekend has delayed by weeks the start of the bushfire season in East Gippsland and in some of the Alpine region and is pushing up the level of Melbourne's dams.
Bullumwaal, in bushland just north of Bairnsdale, received 171 millimetres of rain in the 72 hours to 9am yesterday, the highest tally in the state.
The East Gippsland town of Buchan had a similar deluge — 155 millimetres over the same period. Large totals were also recorded at Ensay (100 millimetres), Orbost (93 millimetres), Lindenow (91 millimetres) and Lakes Entrance (72 millimetres).
More good news came when rain gauges were checked in the Thomson Dam catchment yesterday, showing that 97 millimetres of rain had fallen in the 72-hour period. The Thomson catchment feeds Melbourne's biggest dam, now 19.5pc full, up from 19.3pc on Friday.
Overall, Melbourne's dams rose by a net 6.5 billion litres, lifting from 33.2pc full on Friday to 33.6pc yesterday.
The wet weekend increases the chances of them filling further with run-off and if more rain falls this week.
The top fire officers of the Department of Sustainability and Environment and Country Fire Authority were pleased by the rain in East Gippsland and on Alpine slopes, which they said would delay the onset of the fire season in those regions.
In the north-west falls were light. Warracknabeal had four millimetres and Hopetoun two.
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