Fire management practices on the Tablelands minimise the risk of bushfires on life and property while preserving the natural and cultural values of the land.
- Provide a basis for a cooperative approach to fire management on the Tablelands.
- Prevent fire threat to property and life.
- Prevent the occurrence of wildfires.
- Maintain natural ecosystem function.
The Fire Management Plan identifies fire management issues for the protection of life and property, as well as cultural and natural resources. This information is used to develop a planned burn program and guide other fire management decisions and operations. Protection of life and property is always be the priority for all agencies in the development and implementation of the plan.
Each parcel of land identified for a fuel reduction burn is valued against its fire vulnerable assets, which are — human, economic, environmental and cultural.
To assess each asset for fire vulnerability, the asset is valued against various fire vulnerability factors, which provide an overall score for the asset. Our mapping system provides the bushfire hazard severity as low, medium or high. This rating is based on aspect, vegetation and slope.
Fire management has many ongoing influences and the burn plan is reviewed annually. The review looks at the parcels identified for burns in the following season and reassess their priority depending upon:
- yearly climatic influences
- environmental factors
- fuel loads
- new parcels to be burnt
- budget
- resource availability.
Throughout the review process, our Fire Management Team consults and collaborates with other agencies and personnel. These stakeholders include:
- rural fire brigades
- auxiliary fire brigades
- Queensland government departments
- indigenous groups
- contractors.
There are two fire management groups that meet prior to the fire season and again after the fire season for the purpose of:
- identifying hazardous or high fuel load areas
- identifying collaborative opportunities
- debriefing on responses to incidents as they occur
- planning for disaster management
- resourcing opportunities
- education
- legislative updates and reviews.
Stakeholders involved in these groups include:
- Queensland Fire and Rescue Service
- QueenslandRural Fire Brigades
- Terrain Natural Resource Management
- Barron Catchment Care
- Northern Gulf Natural Resource Management
- Mitchell River Watershed Management Group
- CSIRO
- Department of Environment and Science
- Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy
- Department of Transport and Main Roads
- Ergon Energy
- Sunwater
We will be conducting hazard reduction burns on TRC land in Atherton, Herberton, Wondecla, Wongabel and Yungaburra.