Land Managers and Fire Services need to work together: Northern Fire Forum

The current bush fires burning across north Australia highlight the need for land managers and rural fire services to work together in preventing late, hot, destructive wild fires. Currently the fire danger is very high because of the strong dry winds that fan a wild fire through abundant grass fuels.

Late, large, destructive wildfires that break out can take a serious toll on fodder, stock, firefighters and the environment. The way to combat this threat is for land managers to work with the fire services in preventing wildfires in the coming few months.

This was the strong message from the latest meeting of the rural bushfire organisations from Qld, NT and WA in the North Australian Rural Fire Managers Forum comprising representatives of the three bushfire services and the Tropical Savannas CRC.

Serious Threat

"These destructive fires can endanger the lives and property of north Australian residents and are taking their toll on the rural fire services. Volunteers have to take a time off to fight them and paying for helicopters and other transport can mean fighting a remote fire can cost huge amounts of money. Early warning in combating potentially threatening wild fires is a necessity" Said Russell Anderson, head of the Bushfires Council of the NT.

There is also good evidence that late, hot fires are having a catastrophic impact on populations of plants and animals across the north particularly in the sandstone country of the Kimberley and the Top End including Kakadu.

An Issue for the whole Community

"It’s important to realise that the fire services cannot combat wildfires on their own - the key is for the whole community to work with the fire services in preventing these fires from starting in the first place. For example land managers can prepare fire breaks and carry out fuel reduction and the fire services can keep landowners and the general public informed about the nature of fires and how to manage them." Said Russell Anderson.

This last goal has been pursued by the Forum in the form of a brochure and a fire awareness campaign aimed at tourists and visitors to the north during this dry season. Tens of thousands of brochures have been distributed in WA the NT and Queensland.

For information on fires in the north go to Savanna Information