Bushfires: fuel reduction
31-August-2011
Mr BURGESS (Hastings) -- I wish to raise a matter for the attention of the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, and the action I seek is for the minister to ensure that the coastal villages fuel reduction plan, a plan authored by local communities in consultation with their CFA (Country Fire Authority) brigades, is implemented in full before the coming fire season.
On Monday, 22 August, I held an information night in Blind Bight to discuss fire prevention with local residents of the coastal villages, Casey council fire officers, Department of Sustainability and Environment officers and Parks Victoria officers. The views expressed by the members of the local community on the night were unanimous: over recent years there have been nowhere near enough fuel reduction burns and slashing carried out throughout the coastal villages. The aspect of the coastal villages that leaves them particularly exposed to bushfires and therefore almost entirely reliant on authorities carrying out effective fuel reduction is the fact that they are one-road-in and one-road-out communities.
The local community, in conjunction with the CFA captain, Hans DeKraker, has set out a fuel reduction plan -- a plan that is also endorsed by the Warneet Association -- and is seeking to have it fully implemented as soon as possible.
This plan details the areas needing risk mitigation action most urgently, including the clearing of the tennis court walking tracks in Warneet to a width of 3 metres; the maintenance of all walking tracks, including the tennis court walking tracks; the clearing of vegetation on the western side of Gilgandra Street for a distance of 20 metres from the edge of the roadway; the clearing of the vegetation on the eastern side of Aruma Street for a distance of 20 metres from the edge of the roadway; the clearing of vegetation around the recreation reserve clubhouse by 10 metres on all sides; the clearing of vegetation on the southern side of Balaka Street between Kallara Road and Culgoa Street by 10 metres from the edge of the roadway; the clearing of vegetation on the eastern side of Culgoa Street between Rutherford Parade and Balaka Street for a distance of 10 metres from the edge of the roadway; and clearing and fuel reduction burning near the CFA fire station. The area bounded by Iluka Street on the south, Kallara Road on the east, Rutherford Parade on the west and Warneet Road on the north should be partially cleared and a fuel reduction burn undertaken.
The action I seek will not protect the coastal villages from fire; however, I am assured that full implementation of this community-authored fuel reduction plan will provide the best opportunity for firefighters to protect the towns and people if a fire should break out.
There is also a serious problem with vegetation overgrowing walking tracks and CFA access tracks as well as encroaching on the only existing road in and out. Community members also raised the need for fuel reduction burns along the Cannons Creek foreshore and in Bonnie Watson Reserve. The areas of most concern are: behind the Cannons Creek playground, the community centre and CFA building off Cannons Creek Road in the Bonnie Watson Reserve; the Bonnie Watson Reserve, located between Glenalva Parade and Reserve Way; and the Cannons Creek foreshore near the corner of Irene Parade and Reserve Way.
I seek the assistance of the minister with the full implementation of this plan before the coming fire season.