Hotspots Fire Project.
Hotspots Fire Project.
Providing Landholders with the skills and knowledge to actively participate in fire management for the protection of life, property and biodiversity.
Community Participation -
NSWLP-011-047
The issue
Fire has shaped the character of Australian landscapes for millions of years. Many plant and animal species have evolved strategies for coping with fire. Fire is part of life in southern NSW. The region has a long and varied fire intensity history. Some landholders use fire as a management tool, while others are concerned about the impact of fire on their properties, given the number of major fire events in the region over the last century. The 2019-2020 Dunn's Road bushfire devastated more than 600 000 hectares across the Riverina Highlands and South-east Murray regions.
The solution
A two day workshop was developed, providing a forum to share information and knowledge on fire management and fire ecology, to help landholders make better informed land management decisions. It built capacity of landholders to create a fire management plan for their properties, and build community confidence and skills in fire management through planning for and participating in a demonstration burn. The first day was devoted to fire management plan development for participants, and discussion and demonstration of key preparation activities at the burn site. The demonstration burn was carried out on the second day.
The impact
All participants developed individual fire management plans for their properties, to be activated in the case of a major fire event. The workshop also discussed the importance of adequate fire intervals for different land management zones. Participants were then trained in key preparation activities for the successful execution of a demonstration burn. Control of vegetation fuel loads and the development of a long term sustainable fire management regime are outcomes of low intensity burns.
Key facts
- Australian landscapes have evolved with fire
- Indigenous peoples have used fire as a tool for thousands of years
- fire management plans
- demonstration burn is a tool to control vegetation fuel loads
- cultural burns