Wednesday 14 October 2026
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Victoria's fire services have only a quarter of the $1.5b needed for ageing fleets, auditor-general warns

Cracking forced half of the environment department's trucks off the road last fire season; the CFA alone needs $962.7m to replace 1657 over-age vehicles

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources3 outlets
Victoria's fire authorities have only about a quarter of the $1.5 billion they need to upgrade and replace ageing firefighting fleets over the next decade, and widespread cracking forced half of the state environment department's trucks out of service last fire season, the Victorian Auditor-General's Office has found.

In a report published on Wednesday, the Victorian Auditor-General's Office (VAGO) found the Country Fire Authority (CFA), Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) collectively need around $1.5 billion from 2024-25 to 2033-34 to keep their fire trucks fit for purpose.

Auditor-General Andrew Greaves said fire authorities collectively need around $1.5 billion from 2024-25 to 2033-34 "to make sure their fire trucks are fit for purpose, reliable and safe", but they only have around $390.4 million identified in current funding and future grants.

The report detailed how widespread cracking forced half of DEECA's fleet out of service during the last fire season, while maintenance costs for FRV trucks doubled in three years, further reducing availability. So far the increased maintenance load has largely not affected response times, with trucks moved between stations to maintain coverage.

The CFA previously said it needs $962.7 million to replace 1657 trucks beyond their estimated useful life, along with other modifications. FRV needs $297.3 million to replace 153 fire trucks that are more than 15 years old, while another $216.6 million would be needed to replace 676 DEECA trucks, including those that already have cracking.

The figures are based on current funding and do not include election pledges such as the 150 fire trucks Labor has committed to if it is returned to government in November. Funding requirements for the CFA and FRV are outlined in their own plans, while DEECA's needs were estimated by VAGO using previous contracts.

Greaves said significant and sustained funding was needed to keep pace with the upgrade and replacement needs of all three agencies.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • Victoria is heading into fire seasons with trucks that cannot all be kept in service: half of DEECA's fleet was sidelined by cracking during the last fire season.
  • The gap between identified funding and the estimated need is more than $1.1 billion, meaning replacement programs will stretch across a decade while maintenance costs keep climbing.
  • Fleet reliability is now an election issue, with the November state vote approaching and Labor already pledging 150 new trucks.

Background

Victoria's firefighting effort is split across three agencies: the CFA, which covers much of regional Victoria largely through volunteers; FRV, which serves metropolitan areas and major hazards; and DEECA, which is responsible for fires on public land. Some of the state's fire trucks have been in service for up to 30 years, and the auditor-general's report estimates the cost of replacing them over the decade to 2033-34. The CFA and FRV based their figures on their own plans, while DEECA's needs were estimated by VAGO from previous contracts.

Key Perspectives

Fire authorities: The CFA and FRV have set out replacement plans totalling about $1.26 billion and argue the fleets need sustained investment to remain reliable and safe, with the CFA seeking to replace 1657 trucks that are beyond their estimated useful life.

The Auditor-General: Andrew Greaves warns that only about a quarter of the identified need is funded and that significant, sustained money is required to keep pace with replacement and upgrade requirements across all three agencies.

The government: Labor has pointed to its pledge of 150 new fire trucks as part of its election platform, but the auditor-general's figures exclude election promises and reflect only current funding and future grants.

What to Watch

  • Whether Labor's pledge of 150 fire trucks is backed by further funding commitments ahead of the November election.
  • Whether DEECA can return the half of its fleet sidelined by cracking before the next fire season peaks.
  • Whether FRV's maintenance costs, which doubled in three years, continue to rise as its trucks age past 15 years.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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