On April 7 2009 – 204 days before the start of the fire season – a joint UFU / CFA Board of Reference ruled that 24 CFA fire stations need to be upgraded.

Nothing has happened yet. And the CFA has no timeframe for these compulsory improvements to occur.

The ruling includes providing extra staffing at some professional CFA fire stations, and turning a number of volunteer CFA fire stations into professional 24/7 fire stations to reflect the growing population in these areas.

On August 18 2009, Premier John Brumby named the State’s 52 danger spots for the coming fire season. The fire stations that need extra fire fighters now cover 34 of these 52 hot spots.

24 fire stations need more professional staff now
These include Ballarat, Dandenong, Eltham, Geelong West, Hastings, Hoppers Crossing, Lara, Lorne, Melton, Mildura, Mooroopna, Mornington, Narre Warren, Ocean Grove, Pakenham, Phillip Island, Portland, Rowville, Sale, South Morang, Springvale, Sunbury, Warragul and Warrandyte

The state government's 52 hot spots
52 Victorian towns and localities where enhanced township bushfire protection plans will be implemented include:
Aireys Inlet (Aireys Inlet/Moggs Creek/Fairhaven/Big Hill), Andersons Inlet (Inverloch, Venus Bay, Waratah Bay, Walkerville), Anglesea, Barongarook, Barwon Downs, Bemm River, Bendigo, Blackwood, Blairgowrie, Bolwarra, Breamlea, Cann River, Carlisle River, Castlemaine, Cockatoo, Creswick, Dandenong Ranges, Daylesford, Deans Marsh (Bambra/Pennyroyal), Dereel, Dunkeld, Eaglehawk, Forrest, Gembrook, Greendale, Halls Gap, Hepburn, Jan Juc (Jan Juc/Bellbrae), Junortoun, Kangaroo Flat, Kawaren, Lavers Hill, Loch Sport, Lorne, Macedon, Maiden Gully, Mallacoota, Marengo, Mt Helen/Mt Clear, Mt Macedon, Nelson, Noojee, Peterborough, Rye/St Andrews, Sandy Point, St Arnaud, Steiglitz, Trentham, Upper Beaconsfield, Warrandyte/NorthWarrandyte, Woodend, Wye River (Wye River/Kennett River/Separation Creek).