❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks data on wildfire and back burning areas in the Department of Conservation's southwest forest region over the past 10 years. The response provides wildfire data but states that differentiating and recording back burn areas is impossible.
AnsweredQoN 1293Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Further to Question on Notice No. 1142 of 2003, for each of the last 10 years -
(1) What was the area burnt in wildfires in the Department of Conservation’s south west forest region?
(2) Does this figure include back burning?
(3) If not, what additional area was burnt in back burning?
(4) If yes, what area does the Department estimate was burnt by -
(a) the wildfires; and
(b) back burning to control the wildfires?
(1) What was the area burnt in wildfires in the Department of Conservation’s south west forest region?
(2) Does this figure include back burning?
(3) If not, what additional area was burnt in back burning?
(4) If yes, what area does the Department estimate was burnt by -
(a) the wildfires; and
(b) back burning to control the wildfires?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 November 2003
Responded by
Minister for Local Government and Regional Development representing the Minister for the Environment
Response time
28 days
(b) back burning to control the wildfires?
(1) The area burnt in wildfires in the Department’s three south-west forest regions for each of the past 10 years was: Year Area of Wildfires (hectares) 2002/03 139,744 2001/02 18,989 2000/01 14,647 1999/00 10,866 1998/99 9,148 1997/98 76,798 1996/97 18,443 1995/96 10,101 1994/95 29,051 1993/94 37,346 These figures are for fires where the Department was the lead combat agency and include lands managed by the Department and other lands. The figure of 139,744 hectares for the 2002/03 year includes approximately 126,000 hectares of CALM-managed lands. (2) Yes (3) Not applicable. (4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
Year Area of Wildfires (hectares) 2002/03 139,744 2001/02 18,989 2000/01 14,647 1999/00 10,866 1998/99 9,148 1997/98 76,798 1996/97 18,443 1995/96 10,101 1994/95 29,051 1993/94 37,346 These figures are for fires where the Department was the lead combat agency and include lands managed by the Department and other lands. The figure of 139,744 hectares for the 2002/03 year includes approximately 126,000 hectares of CALM-managed lands. (2) Yes (3) Not applicable. (4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
These figures are for fires where the Department was the lead combat agency and include lands managed by the Department and other lands. The figure of 139,744 hectares for the 2002/03 year includes approximately 126,000 hectares of CALM-managed lands. (2) Yes (3) Not applicable. (4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
(2) Yes (3) Not applicable. (4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
(3) Not applicable. (4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
(4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
(1) The area burnt in wildfires in the Department’s three south-west forest regions for each of the past 10 years was: Year Area of Wildfires (hectares) 2002/03 139,744 2001/02 18,989 2000/01 14,647 1999/00 10,866 1998/99 9,148 1997/98 76,798 1996/97 18,443 1995/96 10,101 1994/95 29,051 1993/94 37,346 These figures are for fires where the Department was the lead combat agency and include lands managed by the Department and other lands. The figure of 139,744 hectares for the 2002/03 year includes approximately 126,000 hectares of CALM-managed lands. (2) Yes (3) Not applicable. (4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
Year Area of Wildfires (hectares) 2002/03 139,744 2001/02 18,989 2000/01 14,647 1999/00 10,866 1998/99 9,148 1997/98 76,798 1996/97 18,443 1995/96 10,101 1994/95 29,051 1993/94 37,346 These figures are for fires where the Department was the lead combat agency and include lands managed by the Department and other lands. The figure of 139,744 hectares for the 2002/03 year includes approximately 126,000 hectares of CALM-managed lands. (2) Yes (3) Not applicable. (4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
These figures are for fires where the Department was the lead combat agency and include lands managed by the Department and other lands. The figure of 139,744 hectares for the 2002/03 year includes approximately 126,000 hectares of CALM-managed lands. (2) Yes (3) Not applicable. (4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
(2) Yes (3) Not applicable. (4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
(3) Not applicable. (4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
(4) It is impossible to differentiate the areas burnt by wildfires and the area burnt as part of the back burn applied to control the main fire. The Department does not keep any records of the area burnt by the back burns. It is estimated that the proportion of wildfire areas that is the result of the back burns will vary each year from about five to ten percent of the total areas.
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