❓ Hon Diane Evers asks about Fire Exclusion Reference Areas (FERAs) managed by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, including their distribution, fire history, and monitoring. The Minister provides a detailed breakdown of FERA locations, fire impacts, and monitoring efforts.
AnsweredQoN 2935Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How many Fire Exclusion Reference Areas (FERAs), in total, have been established by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and its predecessors in each forest type (please specify)? (2) How many of these FERAs were burnt in bushfires and prescribed burns after they were established? (3) How many FERAs are now being monitored in each forest type? (4) When was each of these last burnt?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
16 June 2020
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
9 days
(1) I am advised the total number of Fire Exclusion Reference Areas (FERAs) using the Landscape Management Units published in the Forest Management Plan (2014-23) Appendix 3, as a basis for stratification of broad vegetation (forest) type are as follows: Swan Region (19 FERA areas in total) Dandaragan Plateau - 1 Swan Coastal Plain North – 2 North Western Dissection – 1 North Eastern Dissection – 2 Northern Upper Plateau – 1 Northern Sandy Depressions – 3 North Western Jarrah – 1 Monadnocks Uplands – 2 Eastern Dissection – 2 Eastern Murray – 2 Central Jarrah – 2 South West Region (19 FERA areas in total) Central Jarrah – 2 Northern Upper Collie – 3 Collie Wilga - 4 Central Blackwood – 1 Blackwood Plateau – 3 Margaret Plateau – 4 Blackwood Scott Plain – 2 Warren Region (22 FERA areas in total) Northern Karri – 2 Central Karri – 3 Southern Karri – 3 Frankland Unicup Muir Complex - 1 Redmond Siltstone Plain -1 Southern Hilly Terrain - 2 Southern Swampy Plain – 3 Southern Dunes – 2 Strahan Cattaminup Jigsaw – 1 Yornup Wilgarup Perup - 4 Wheatbelt Region (2 FERA areas in total) Wandoo Woodland – 2
(2) Ten FERA have been partially or completely burnt by bushfires resulting from lightning, arson or accidental ignition since being established. Two FERA have been partially burnt as a result of prescribed fires since being established.
(3) Three FERA are subject to periodic monitoring as part of the FORESTCHECK project, these are jarrah forest types. A number of FERA are also included in the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions’ operational monitoring programs for flora and fauna. On occasion FERA have been used for research studies undertaken by CSIRO and universities.
(4) The three FERA included in the FORESTCHECK monitoring project were last burnt in 1933, 1975 and 1987 respectively.
(2) Ten FERA have been partially or completely burnt by bushfires resulting from lightning, arson or accidental ignition since being established. Two FERA have been partially burnt as a result of prescribed fires since being established.
(3) Three FERA are subject to periodic monitoring as part of the FORESTCHECK project, these are jarrah forest types. A number of FERA are also included in the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions’ operational monitoring programs for flora and fauna. On occasion FERA have been used for research studies undertaken by CSIRO and universities.
(4) The three FERA included in the FORESTCHECK monitoring project were last burnt in 1933, 1975 and 1987 respectively.
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