New automated fire danger rating road signs have been unveiled in Victoria, the first of their kind in Australia.
Minister for police and emergency services Kim Wells officially launched the signs ahead of the summer, with the technology being placed in high-traffic locations across the state.
"Victoria is the first state to develop and roll out automated fire danger ratings signs, so we're leading the country with this technology," he said in Narre Warren East, where the first of the state's 65 signs was placed.
"The automated signs can be updated with an alert message sent directly from the State Control Centre, meaning motorists will receive the most up-to-date information on changing conditions."
Displaying the daily fire danger rating by weather district, the signs are updated from the County Fire Authority (CFA) website via an RSS feed and 3G.
There are currently 57 automated road signs in operation, as well as 350 static fire danger rating signs that are changed manually by CFA workers every day in the summer.
Fire danger ratings are forecasted by the Bureau of Meteorology from November 1, and are estimated up to four days in advance.
The state government supplied $1.4 million for the automated signs, with expressions of interest being shown interstate and overseas.