Timely bushfire refresher as fuel reduction burns resume

The first Fire Refresher Day for firefighters has been held in Deloraine ahead of the upcoming fire season and burn preparedness work by Sustainable Timber Tasmania.

Fuel reduction burns, conducted in spring and autumn, are generally low intensity and reduce the quantity of vegetation on the forest floor, without damaging standing trees.

The aim is to help to protect property and forestry assets from bushfires as well as lower the fire threat to neighbouring communities and the spring fire roster will start on October 1 and run to November 30.

A second Fire Refresher Day will be held in the south later in the month and a meeting has been held with Wine Tasmania to discuss any concerns from the state’s grape growers.

STT fire management manager Dean Sheehan said that the organisation has a good relationship with Wine Tasmania when it comes to smoke management.

“We have regular catch-ups and undertake planning by liaising with stakeholders and neighbours, especially in autumn ahead of the wine grape harvest.

“Growers can register to be notified of burns and register interest in any particular burn and we can talk them through that.”

Business, Industry and Resources minister Felix Ellis said STT was integral to Tasmania’s fire readiness. 

“STT do a terrific job, they are out there managing our forests in a sustainable way to ensure we are on top of our fire readiness,” Minister Ellis said.   

“These refresher days complement that work nicely, giving STT firies and contractors a chance to refine their skills before they use them on the front line of our fire season. 

“Our production forests are long-lived assets that STT sustainably manages and protects for the future, with significant industry contracting processes now underway to ensure Tasmanians continue to benefit from our world-class timber sector. 

Over coming months STT will roll out a program of works to reduce fire hazards and protect economic assets.

“Last year, STT put in around 14,000 hours in firefighting activity across its staff and contractors, and they are an important part of our state firefighting response,” Mr Ellis said. 

 “We are one of the most bushfire-prone places on earth and about 70 percent of our people in STT are trained firefighters who are out there on the fireground during our bushfire season.

“We’re making significant investment in fire depots around the state, new equipment and trucks and of course the biggest investment we can make is in our people training them so that they are ready to respond and do so safely.” 

Mr Sheehan said that STT has completed its winter equipment testing and maintenance program and the annual refresher days are the last piece of the puzzle in getting ready for the season ahead.

“We expect there to be activity like any other season and we have 40 to 45 staff and contractors on standby to help manage any fires.

“With underlying soil moisture levels low we anticipate an early start to the fire season but we’re ready for it.”