A Bushfire action plan which protects people, property and nature.

“On behalf of everyone here at The Wilderness Society, I wish to express our support and deepest sympathies to the individuals, families and communities who have been devastated by the Victorian bushfires over the past two weeks, and in particular the heartbreaking events of February 7 and 8.”

Through our many members, supporters and colleagues who live in the ravaged areas, we have developed a close association with the affected communities, especially in Marysville, Healesville and St Andrews. Our thoughts, condolences and best wishes go out to all of you.

As part of the bushfire response, The Wilderness Society encourages people to help by donating to:

1. Red Cross Bushfire Appeal - Funds go to the victims of the bushfires, providing emergency food, clothing and shelter. To donate call 1800 811 700 or visit: www.redcross.org.au

2. Wildlife Victoria - Funds help pay for bandages, treatment, medicines and food for injured wildlife, for trained wildlife carers on the ground and enable purchase of vital medical equipment and supplies for the animals. To donate visit: www.wildlifevictoria.org.au

Wildlife Victoria is urging people to not call the emergency number unless they have injured wildlife.  Currently their phone is being inundated with calls from people wanting to help. Unfortunately Wildlife Victoria cannot take volunteers at this time unless they already have the necessary training.

For injured animals contact 1300 094 535 (13 000 WILDLIFE) 24 hours.

As well as the tragic loss of life, properties and townships, these bushfires will also have taken an unimaginable toll on our native wildlife and their habitat. The Wilderness Society is conducting an investigation into these impacts and will release a report in the coming weeks.

Again, deep condolences to everyone affected by this terrible tragedy.

Sincerely,
Gavan McFadzean
The Wilderness Society Victoria’s Campaigns Manager

A Bushfire action plan which protects people, property and nature.

Bushfire remains one of the most complex and difficult aspects of our environment to deal with. Climate change is expected to make things even tougher, with increases in the number of high fire danger days and the number of people and houses at risk increasing with the tree/sea change phenomenon.

With the onset of climate change, mega-bushfires that burn massive areas are expected to occur more often.

A joint CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology study of the impact of climate change in bushfires found parts of Victoria faced up to 65 per cent more days of extreme fire risk by 2020, and 230 per cent more by mid-century.

Yet clearly we have a lot to learn and the Royal Commission will set a new agenda for land and fire management, prevention and response. Many challenges will remain but some aspects seem clear. We need more money and support for fire fighters if we are to successfully protect life, property and the environment. Two key areas are the early detection of fires including the use of aerial surveillance and remote sensing especially in remote areas, increasing rapid response capacity including more “Elvis” helicopters to fight bushfires as soon as they start.

The outstanding work of firefighters on the front line needs to be backed up with the best available knowledge, planning and resources to ensure operations are as effective as possible in protecting people, property and nature. There is an urgent need to increase investment in these areas and rapidly establish scientific underpinning to fire management, as well as properly resourcing implementation and fire operations.
We also need more information for government and community about how to deliver fire management in a way that also protects the natural environment and our unique wildlife.

Fuel reduction burning has an important place in the fire management toolbox, and we support its place in scientifically underpinned fire management for the protection of life, property and the environment.

The issue of fuel reduction burning often dominates the fire debate, as if it is the only fire management tool. But it’s important to remember that this is only one tool in fire management, and not the silver bullet that will fire proof the landscape.

Environmental groups want to see the science that supports the current fuel reduction program, including a scientific justification for so-called hazard reduction burns in specific areas and the scientific justification for the route and extent of fire break establishment. Environmental groups are particularly concerned about the lack of impact assessment of these programs on biodiversity, particularly given their uncertain benefits to reduce the extent, frequency and severity of fire.

Views on these measures tend towards two extremes. One extreme is that we should fuel reduction burn all forest areas every 20 years and carve out thousands of kilometres of fire breaks, the other is that all our forests are wilderness areas which should just be allowed to burn and not manage our forests for fire at all.

For the Australian bush to be healthy and to protect people, property and nature we need a scientifically based balance between these extremes.

Fire management is not ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to the Australian bush. It needs to be targeted and specific, because we know that different kinds of bush respond differently to fire and therefore need different management. For native plants and animals to survive, fire management needs to promote “good” fire at the right time of year, of the right type and size. And that varies with vegetation type and resident native animals. Grasslands will require more frequent fires compared with forests, while areas such as rainforest will need to be protected from fire altogether.

That’s why we need good ecological science informing fire management, which has come a long way in understanding what’s best for native plants, but we need a better understanding of what fire management is best for protecting wildlife and avoiding extinctions. Its critical that scientists, fire agencies and governments work together to understand how to best manage fire to protect habitat for endangered wildlife, because no one wants fire management to lead to extinctions.

Of course, the protection of life & property needs to come first in fire management – but we can do that while also protecting nature and wildlife. A balanced approach is to prioritise the protection of life and property in areas close to farms and townships, and to prioritise fire management for the environment in remote areas and national parks.

A continuation of the expansion in knowledge, resources and support for fire management and community preparedness will best ensure the protection of life, property and the environment into the future.

The Wilderness Society’s 6 point bushfire plan

With the onset of climate change, mega-bushfires that burn massive areas are expected to occur more often.  

A joint CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology study of the impact of climate change in bushfires found parts of Victoria faced up to 65 per cent more days of extreme fire risk by 2020, and 230 per cent more by mid-century.

We have developed a 6-point plan top reduce the bushfire risk and help protect people, property, wildlife and their habitat.

1. Improve aerial surveillance to detect bushfires as soon as they start.

2. Ramp up hi-tech, quick response capability, including more 'Elvis' helicopters to fight bushfires as soon as they ignite.

3. More research into fire behaviour and the impact of fire on wildlife and their habitat.

4. Around towns and urban areas - prioritise the protection of life and property with fuel reduction and fire break management plans.

5. In remote areas and National Parks - prioritise the protection of wildlife and their habitat through scientifically-based fire management plans.

6. Make native forests resistant to mega-fires by protecting old-growth forests, rainforests and water catchments from woodchipping and moving logging into existing plantations.

•  Download the '6 point plan to reduce bushfire risk' (PDF 44kb)

The Wilderness Society would like to see the implementation of the above plan. Clearly the plan proposed has significant policy and resource implications.

Learn more about:

• WildCountry & Climate Change: How WildCountry is tackling the urgent issue of Climate Change.
  
• Case study: 'The Great Southern Sanctuary' - an ambitious program to protect and restore nature in Western Victoria, southern NSW, and South Australia.

Related links:

• Download the '6 point plan to reduce bushfire risk' (PDF 44kb)
  
• Download the Victoria WildCountry pamphlet (PDF 1 Mb)
  
• Go to the Victoria Naturally website (external link)