Western Victorian farmers and rural councils are calling on urgent action from the state government to slash and maintain roadside vegetation on country roads.
VFF Infrastructure and Transport committee chair and cropping farmer Ryan Milgate, Minyip, said roadside vegetation had not been adequately managed over several years.
"(Vegetation) sort of creeps up on us and then all of a sudden, we realise that we have caught an issue here," he said.
"There's two sides to this issue - there's the impact on truck movements and livestock trucks are one of the main ones obviously, because they're quite high but carting hay also has its problems."
"We're seeing lots of roads everywhere that are gazetted roads for these vehicles, but the vegetation has just gradually crept in over time."
Mr Milgate said the amount of vegetation he'd seen on local roads giving access to Wimmera farms was particularly becoming worrisome.
"We keep seeing lots of issues with basic things like getting trucks and that up and down those roads," he said.
"Visibility at intersections is also being greatly impacted."
He said moving large machinery safely during harvest periods was also tricky when roadside vegetation was not looked after.
"Especially in harvest time, moving machinery on these roads is causing problems where clearances now are just not what they used to be."
Mr Milgate acknowledged local councils in western Victoria were doing all they could regarding local roads but had become the "poor meat in the sandwich" due to a lack of funding for vegetation-slashing projects.
Before the state election, the Rural Councils of Victoria called for $10 million to be set aside for roadside vegetation projects.
Rural Councils Victoria chair Mary-Ann Brown said councils did their best to reduce fuel loads on local roads.
"Despite the recent rains in parts of rural Victoria, there is broad concern about the risk of bushfires given the long-range forecast for a hot, dry summer," Cr Brown said.
"Communities and councils across rural Victoria are doing what they can to control vegetation and we encourage state government agencies to continue taking the necessary action needed to reduce risk of fire, such as managing vegetation, including burn offs, where and when appropriate."
Nationals MP for Mildura Jade Benham said she had received many complaints from farmers across the electorate and called for an intensive slashing program to begin.
"The recent heavy rain has intensified roadside vegetation growth in the region and the overriding priority of the state government must be the protection of human life," Ms Benham said.
"Normally we would say 'Great, it is fantastic', but now truck drivers in prime movers cannot see oncoming traffic."
Ms Benham said community safety was improved when roadside fuel loads were reduced.
"Private property owners have a legal responsibility to keep their land cleared and fire safe, setting the precedent for the act on its own directive and maintain roadsides to keep regional communities safe."
Some western Victorian councils, like the Corangamite Shire have launched roadside grazing seasons this year, but Coalition MPs say further loosening of bureaucratic requirements for grazing seasons are needed for fuel load reduction.
Roads and Road Safety Minister Melissa Horne has been contacted for comment.
