TasFarmers Matters - Fuel reduction a burning issue

In decades past, it was quite common to see smoke rising from fuel reduction burns on private land during late winter, early spring, and late autumn.

This was done to lessen the severity of summer wildfires fires by reducing dry matter fuel loads, stimulate native grass growth on bush runs, enhance bush regeneration on selectively logged blocks, while making communities safer, and protecting both private and public assets.

Back then this was done as a part of the rural sector’s normal calendar of events, however, sadly, this does not happen as much as it should today.

For volunteers who were called to a fire, it was normal practice to allow the extension of the fire to a natural boundary, road, creek, cleared area, edge of a populated area.

In essence it used the opportunity to do a fuel reduction burn, and make the area safer, however today the focus has changed to just put a fire out. There are many reasons why we do not make use of fire as a management tool.

Some could be cost, labour shortage, economics, public perception, a loss of confidence, or a reduction in fire management skills within the community.

We see the outcomes of this malaise every year, be it in Tasmania, the mainland or overseas, with huge wildfires that deliver devastating environmental, social and economic costs to the community.

In every one of these catastrophic moments, the common driver, without exception, is huge unmanaged fuel loads in our bushland.

We must embrace fire as our friend, not the enemy, it must be seen as a tool we can use with real purpose.

High fuel loads, consisting of dry vegetation and accumulated organic matter, significantly heighten the risk of intense and uncontrollable bushfires.

The combination of high fuel loads and a changing climate has resulted in destructive fire events, threatening not only the ecological balance but also larger populated towns and even cities.

It is clear that the private sector must engage to support the management these fuel loads through strategic burning practices.

Interestingly, fire plays a fundamental role in the regeneration of Australia’s ecosystems.

Many native plant species in Tasmania have evolved to depend on fire for their life cycle.

Fire can stimulate germination, enhance soil nutrients, and remove competing vegetation, which allows fire-adapted species to thrive.

This natural process contributes to increasing biodiversity within the ecosystem.

Regular fuel reduction burns help maintain this cycle, allowing for the reestablishment of native plants while simultaneously reducing the fuel load that can lead to catastrophic fires.

We must remember that fire has been used for thousands of years as a management tool by the Aboriginal people.

In fact, the Bay of Fires area was named as such because when sailors traversed the east coast, there were always fires burning.

The Tasmanian Government has implemented a highly strategic fuel reduction program and a range of capacity-building programs, which are working.

As we head into spring, it is clear that the soil and fuel loads are very dry in many areas. This will create an early fire season, with the window for burning getting shorter.

Now is the time to act, if you need help contact the Red Hot Tips program, where you can speak to a real person and get help to plan you fuel reduction burns.

Sadly, it may take a catastrophic event to shake the community out of complacency.

On the western slopes of Hobart, and in parts of the east and west coasts, massive fuel loads have built up.

Combined with strong hot winds, fires will be catastrophic and see Tasmania make news headlines.

Fuel reduction burning is a vital strategy for managing high fuel loads in Tasmania, we have a changing climate, with rising temperatures and altered weather patterns.

This necessitates that we implement proactive measures to mitigate the risks of devastating bushfires.

By understanding fire’s regenerative role in the Australian bush and targeting optimal burning times, Tasmania can work towards preserving its unique ecosystems while enhancing biodiversity, as the Aboriginal people did for thousands of years.