Bushfires in Australia – Two Choices

The Landscape and wildlife of Australia was shaped and then maintained by frequent mild burning for at least 40,000 years. This reality must be recognised and it dictates that there are only two futures for Australia:

1. A healthy safe landscape that maintains sustainable vegetation, wildlife and people. This requires that we re-establish the successful fire regimes of the past.

OR:

2. A dangerous and destructive landscape with too many people cowering in suburban and rural enclaves surrounded by a tinderbox of pest-ridden weeds, scrub and litter – a threat to trees, wildlife and property. This is today’s fire regime in Eastern Australia.

Here is a Five Point Plan which should come from Bushfire Enquiry number 58. I Appoint trained and experienced foresters to maintain safe and healthy public forests Appoint trained and experienced foresters to maintain safe and healthy public forests. They should be given authority and resources for reducing fuel loads especially in national parks and forests by cool season burning, or by combinations of grazing, timber harvesting, slashing/mulching and collecting dead fire-wood. Private landowners must be enabled and obliged to become fire safe, subject only to local fire wardens. II. Create and maintain wide clear trafficable roads, tracks and firebreaks through the forests and around towns and private properties Create and maintain wide clear trafficable roads, tracks and firebreaks through the forests and around towns and private properties. In fire seasons, these patrolled fire-barriers will help to confine any fire to one sector and provide a prepared line from which to back burn if there is an approaching fire. We should also increase the penalties for arson in times of high fire danger. III. Build more dams and weirs Build more dams and weirs to provide water for fire-fighting and to provide fire havens for humans, animals and vegetation. IV. Abolish restrictions on the management of “protected” vegetation reserves on private land Abolish restrictions on the management of “protected” vegetation reserves on private land – especially those on private land sterilised to fulfil government Kyoto Protocol promises or under Local Government and State Government vegetation protection rules and regulations. Governments have created these fire hazards by trying to wrap vast areas of vegetation in cotton wool and green tape (both of which are flammable). Sadly, Government “protection” of flora and fauna has proved to be the fiery kiss of death. V. Decentralise fuel and forest management Decentralise fuel and forest management out of the cities and into the regions. City-based politicians and bureaucrats have done enormous harm by locking up land and opposing fuel load reduction. Decisions on vegetation risk management should be handed to property owners, park rangers, forest managers and rural fire wardens.