RESIDENTS would be protected from a bushfire inferno more intense than Black Saturday at a dual fire station and refuge in an at-risk Victorian community, according to the premier.
The Blackwood community fire refuge and Country Fire Authority fire station is a first-of-its-kind concept that packs a double punch - fighting blazes and shielding locals forced to flee.
Opening the centre on Sunday, Premier Denis Napthine said he hoped it would never need to be used as a last-resort refuge, but said it was built to cope with hellish conditions.
"We're advised this would withstand as a refuge for people to save lives in the extreme conditions of the ilk of Black Saturday," he said.
"This is a facility that will survive Black Saturday-plus.
"We emphasise this is a last-resort facility. People should have their local fire plans, they should leave early and live but if they're trapped, if there's no other alternative, this will ... save the lives of people here in Blackwood."
The facility is one of three refuge centres set up in fire-prone Victorian regions, along with Warburton East and Ferny Creek, following a recommendation from the bushfire royal commission.
The Blackwood centre is the only one that serves a dual purpose, in what Dr Napthine said was a world first.
He said emergency services chiefs from California had toured the Blackwood station as they looked to cope with their own intense fire season.
The opening of the refuge, north of Melbourne, comes days after the state sweltered through 40C-plus days.
Dr Napthine said the response of Victoria's emergency services, health department and its citizens to the heat spell was far superior to a similar stretch in 2009.
"That is because of the changes that have been made in emergency management with an all-agency approach, with the team working together to provide better information to the community," he said.
"It's a better response which has saved lives this last week, I've got no doubt about that."
The Black Saturday bushfires of 2009 killed 173 people.
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