This WA parliamentary question clarifies that the burning of vegetation can be considered clearing under the amended Environmental Protection Act, with exemptions for authorised fire prevention and control activities. The aim is to prevent inappropriate fire regimes that degrade native vegetation.

AnsweredQoN 81Legislative Council
Asked
10 March 2004
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

Does the new Environmental Protection Amendment Act and its regulations equate the burning of all or any vegetation with clearing of vegetation? Hon KIM CHANCE

AnswerView source ↗

On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Bill Stretch for some notice of his very short question. The Minister for the Environment has provided the following response - Under the amended Environmental Protection Act 1986, clearing includes the burning of vegetation, or any other act or activity that causes - the killing or destruction of, the severing of trunks or stems of, or any other substantial damage to some or all of the native vegetation in the area. The new clearing laws allow for authorised fire prevention or control under the Bush Fires Act 1954 or the Fire Brigades Act 1942, such as carrying out fuel reduction burns as authorised by the local fire control officer. The Department of Conservation and Land Management is also exempt from the requirement to obtain a land clearing permit for its hazard reduction burning activities. The new clearing provisions are intended to avoid inappropriate fire regimes without authority under the Bush Fires Act 1954, such as the situation in which the burning of native vegetation takes place every year and eventually removes or substantially degrades the native vegetation.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Bill Stretch for some notice of his very short question. The Minister for the Environment has provided the following response - Under the amended Environmental Protection Act 1986, clearing includes the burning of vegetation, or any other act or activity that causes - the killing or destruction of, the severing of trunks or stems of, or any other substantial damage to some or all of the native vegetation in the area. The new clearing laws allow for authorised fire prevention or control under the Bush Fires Act 1954 or the Fire Brigades Act 1942, such as carrying out fuel reduction burns as authorised by the local fire control officer. The Department of Conservation and Land Management is also exempt from the requirement to obtain a land clearing permit for its hazard reduction burning activities. The new clearing provisions are intended to avoid inappropriate fire regimes without authority under the Bush Fires Act 1954, such as the situation in which the burning of native vegetation takes place every year and eventually removes or substantially degrades the native vegetation.
On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Bill Stretch for some notice of his very short question. The Minister for the Environment has provided the following response - Under the amended Environmental Protection Act 1986, clearing includes the burning of vegetation, or any other act or activity that causes - the killing or destruction of, the severing of trunks or stems of, or any other substantial damage to some or all of the native vegetation in the area. The new clearing laws allow for authorised fire prevention or control under the Bush Fires Act 1954 or the Fire Brigades Act 1942, such as carrying out fuel reduction burns as authorised by the local fire control officer. The Department of Conservation and Land Management is also exempt from the requirement to obtain a land clearing permit for its hazard reduction burning activities. The new clearing provisions are intended to avoid inappropriate fire regimes without authority under the Bush Fires Act 1954, such as the situation in which the burning of native vegetation takes place every year and eventually removes or substantially degrades the native vegetation.
Under the amended Environmental Protection Act 1986, clearing includes the burning of vegetation, or any other act or activity that causes - the killing or destruction of, the severing of trunks or stems of, or any other substantial damage to some or all of the native vegetation in the area. The new clearing laws allow for authorised fire prevention or control under the Bush Fires Act 1954 or the Fire Brigades Act 1942, such as carrying out fuel reduction burns as authorised by the local fire control officer. The Department of Conservation and Land Management is also exempt from the requirement to obtain a land clearing permit for its hazard reduction burning activities. The new clearing provisions are intended to avoid inappropriate fire regimes without authority under the Bush Fires Act 1954, such as the situation in which the burning of native vegetation takes place every year and eventually removes or substantially degrades the native vegetation.
the severing of trunks or stems of, or any other substantial damage to some or all of the native vegetation in the area.
any other substantial damage to some or all of the native vegetation in the area.

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