PREMIER John Brumby and Water Minister Tim Holding outlined measures taken to protect water catchment during a visit to Healesville.

Mr Brumby inspected fuel breaks and preparation work in the Thompson and Upper Yarra catchments and met with Melbourne Water employees during a stop-over at the edge of the Maroondah catchment.

Some of the measures Mr Brumby said would protect Melbourne’s water supply were 500 kilometres of fuel breaks around the catchments.

He said almost 20,000 hectares of fuel reduction work had been achieved in the past four months as part of the DSE spring burning program bringing the total burns over three years to more than 400,000 hectares.

“This year, crews will have an additional helicopter to help to detect fires with four fire towers strategically situated in the catchments to help locate fires when they start, and 40 water tanks are located at key sites in the catchments to provide easy access to water for fire fighting,” Mr Brumby said.

He said that more than 100 Melbourne Water fire-fighters would be dedicated to safeguarding the catchments through regular patrols and what he described as first-attach response with back up support from the DSE and CFA.