❓ This WA parliamentary question on notice addresses two distinct issues: confidence in the Minister for Commerce regarding resource project benefits for Western Australians, and an update on the Department of Environment and Conservation's prescribed burning program, including progress against targets and challenges faced due to dry conditions.
AnsweredQoN 246Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RESOURCES PROJECTS — SKILLED LOCAL JOBS
I have a supplementary question. Does the Premier have confidence in the capacity of the Minister for Commerce to be the lead minister on this very important issue to ensure that Western Australians get benefits from the resources boom? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I have a supplementary question. Does the Premier have confidence in the capacity of the Minister for Commerce to be the lead minister on this very important issue to ensure that Western Australians get benefits from the resources boom? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
Yes, I do. Although the responsibility for the reporting mechanisms and the work that is undertaken through the capability network falls within the commerce portfolio, the minister also works closely with me in my capacity as Minister for State Development. He also works closely with the Minister for Training and Workforce Development in terms of preparation of skills for the area. The collaboration across those three portfolios is what this government is doing. PRESCRIBED BURNING PROGRAM — DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION 2. Mr A.J. SIMPSON to the Minister for Environment: Firstly, I congratulate the great work the fire services personnel in the Department of Environment and Conservation have done over this hot summer. As the minister knows, my electorate was badly affected by fires. With this is mind, will the minister update the house on the Department of Environment and Conservation’s essential prescribed burning program? Mr W.R. MARMION replied: I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: Yes, I do. Although the responsibility for the reporting mechanisms and the work that is undertaken through the capability network falls within the commerce portfolio, the minister also works closely with me in my capacity as Minister for State Development. He also works closely with the Minister for Training and Workforce Development in terms of preparation of skills for the area. The collaboration across those three portfolios is what this government is doing. PRESCRIBED BURNING PROGRAM — DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION 2. Mr A.J. SIMPSON to the Minister for Environment: Firstly, I congratulate the great work the fire services personnel in the Department of Environment and Conservation have done over this hot summer. As the minister knows, my electorate was badly affected by fires. With this is mind, will the minister update the house on the Department of Environment and Conservation’s essential prescribed burning program? Mr W.R. MARMION replied: I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Yes, I do. Although the responsibility for the reporting mechanisms and the work that is undertaken through the capability network falls within the commerce portfolio, the minister also works closely with me in my capacity as Minister for State Development. He also works closely with the Minister for Training and Workforce Development in terms of preparation of skills for the area. The collaboration across those three portfolios is what this government is doing. PRESCRIBED BURNING PROGRAM — DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION 2. Mr A.J. SIMPSON to the Minister for Environment: Firstly, I congratulate the great work the fire services personnel in the Department of Environment and Conservation have done over this hot summer. As the minister knows, my electorate was badly affected by fires. With this is mind, will the minister update the house on the Department of Environment and Conservation’s essential prescribed burning program? Mr W.R. MARMION replied: I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Firstly, I congratulate the great work the fire services personnel in the Department of Environment and Conservation have done over this hot summer. As the minister knows, my electorate was badly affected by fires. With this is mind, will the minister update the house on the Department of Environment and Conservation’s essential prescribed burning program? Mr W.R. MARMION replied: I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr W.R. MARMION replied: I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: Yes, I do. Although the responsibility for the reporting mechanisms and the work that is undertaken through the capability network falls within the commerce portfolio, the minister also works closely with me in my capacity as Minister for State Development. He also works closely with the Minister for Training and Workforce Development in terms of preparation of skills for the area. The collaboration across those three portfolios is what this government is doing. PRESCRIBED BURNING PROGRAM — DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION 2. Mr A.J. SIMPSON to the Minister for Environment: Firstly, I congratulate the great work the fire services personnel in the Department of Environment and Conservation have done over this hot summer. As the minister knows, my electorate was badly affected by fires. With this is mind, will the minister update the house on the Department of Environment and Conservation’s essential prescribed burning program? Mr W.R. MARMION replied: I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Yes, I do. Although the responsibility for the reporting mechanisms and the work that is undertaken through the capability network falls within the commerce portfolio, the minister also works closely with me in my capacity as Minister for State Development. He also works closely with the Minister for Training and Workforce Development in terms of preparation of skills for the area. The collaboration across those three portfolios is what this government is doing. PRESCRIBED BURNING PROGRAM — DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION 2. Mr A.J. SIMPSON to the Minister for Environment: Firstly, I congratulate the great work the fire services personnel in the Department of Environment and Conservation have done over this hot summer. As the minister knows, my electorate was badly affected by fires. With this is mind, will the minister update the house on the Department of Environment and Conservation’s essential prescribed burning program? Mr W.R. MARMION replied: I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Firstly, I congratulate the great work the fire services personnel in the Department of Environment and Conservation have done over this hot summer. As the minister knows, my electorate was badly affected by fires. With this is mind, will the minister update the house on the Department of Environment and Conservation’s essential prescribed burning program? Mr W.R. MARMION replied: I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr W.R. MARMION replied: I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
I thank the member for Darling Range for this appropriate question. As members know, many state parks and forests are in his electorate. Of course, the Roleystone fire was in his electorate, and he knows the importance of prescribed burning. The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
The Department of Environment and Conservation uses prescribed burnings, as everyone knows, to reduce the fuel loads in our state parks and forests. This is vital work to prevent bushfires from spreading, to protect lives and homes in our rural and semi-rural areas, and also to prevent damage to habitats of native flora and fauna. This government supports prescribed burning. I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
I am pleased to announce that this Tuesday we started our autumn prescribed burning. It was a bit later than usual unfortunately. Due to the dry winter and the very dry summer conditions, we started the autumn burning a lot later than usual. It was a late start. This means that so far in the south west we have managed to complete only 72 000 hectares of prescribed burning. At the same time last year, we were at 125 000 hectares. We are behind the eight ball because our target is to burn about 200 000 hectares per year. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you confident that you can meet the target? Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr W.R. MARMION : I am not confident at the moment, but we will do our best to meet that target. Prescribed burning is about reducing the fuel loads in our forests. Our target for jarrah forests is to have the fuel load down below eight tonnes a hectare, and our target for karri forests is under 11 tonnes per hectare. Research has shown that it is a lot harder, with fuel loads above those limits, to control fires if they get out of control. That is why we go for eight and 11 hectares for jarrah and karri respectively. We also try to do controlled burns in a patchwork network. This is a tool that is used so that, if a fire does get out of control, it hits an area where we have done prescribed burnings and it will go out. It is a way of controlling our bushfire program. We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
We have identified about 200 possible burns for the autumn period. That is far more than we are able to do, obviously. It depends on prevailing wind conditions. We have to be ready, depending on where the wind goes, and decide which particular areas we can burn. DEC has planned well; we have 200 burns ready to go. We probably will not do that many, but we are ready to go when the wind is right. The target of 200 000 hectares per year is based on scientific research, operational experience and bushfire threat analysis undertaken by DEC. Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr E.S. Ripper : I hope that does not mean you are only halfway through your answer. Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr W.R. MARMION : I am nearly more than halfway through. Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr C.C. Porter : Fifty-two per cent! Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
Mr W.R. MARMION : The government and I strongly support the Department of Environment and Conservation’s prescribed burn program, and, as I said to the Leader of the Opposition, we will make every effort to reach the target. It will require community support and tolerance because there will be, obviously, occasional smoke impacts to residents. The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
The challenge of the bushfire season in the South West may have largely passed now that the summer is over, but, along with the Minister for Emergency Services, I would like to place on the record my support and acknowledgment of all the fire crews—the DEC crews and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority crews—and all the support agencies for their efforts over the summer. Now that autumn is here, they do not get a rest; they will be quite busy over the autumn period doing prescribed burns. I congratulate all the people involved in the prescribed burn program.
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