❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding an escaped prescribed burn near Mt Cooke that caused the closure of Albany Highway. The response details the timeline of the burn, weather considerations, and states there are no plans to compensate affected businesses.
AnsweredQoN 998Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT
OF PARKS AND WILDLIFE — PRESCRIBED BURNING — ALBANY HIGHWAY
998. Hon DARREN WEST to the minister
representing the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the escaped prescribed
burn near Mt Cooke last week that caused the closure of part of Albany Highway.
(1) Given the
forecast was for unseasonably hot weather on Tuesday and Wednesday, why did the
burn proceed in the first place?
(2) What was the rationale
for burning in these conditions, and was the fire left unattended at night once
it had been ignited?
(3) What measures
will the Minister for Environment take to compensate businesses such as the
Threeway Roadhouse, which lost a day's business due to the escape of
the fire?
OF PARKS AND WILDLIFE — PRESCRIBED BURNING — ALBANY HIGHWAY
998. Hon DARREN WEST to the minister
representing the Minister for Environment:
I refer to the escaped prescribed
burn near Mt Cooke last week that caused the closure of part of Albany Highway.
(1) Given the
forecast was for unseasonably hot weather on Tuesday and Wednesday, why did the
burn proceed in the first place?
(2) What was the rationale
for burning in these conditions, and was the fire left unattended at night once
it had been ignited?
(3) What measures
will the Minister for Environment take to compensate businesses such as the
Threeway Roadhouse, which lost a day's business due to the escape of
the fire?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice
of the question.
(1)–(2) Ignition
of this burn was commenced by the Department of Parks and Wildlife on Friday, 4
September 2015, when approximately 7.5 kilometres of edging was undertaken on
the northern boundary of the burn. The burn area subsequently received up to
five millimetres of rain on Saturday, 5 September.
On Bureau of Meteorology advice of
forecast strong northerly winds and elevated temperatures on Wednesday, 9
September, Parks and Wildlife planned to undertake edging of the southern
boundary prior to the passage of these winds to minimise the risk of escape
should there be any re-ignition of the previous edging on the northern
boundary.
On Tuesday, 8 September, further
edging was commenced on the south eastern corner of the burn but, due to
observed fire behaviour, edging was ceased after only 3.5 kilometres and
machinery and crews were used to secure the new edging and were also retained
overnight as a precautionary measure.
(3) The closure
of Albany Highway for approximately 20 hours between Wednesday, 9 September,
and Thursday, 10 September, was unfortunate; however, the government does not
have any plans to compensate parties affected by smoke and traffic disruptions,
which are an occasional consequence from prescribed burning operations.
of the question.
(1)–(2) Ignition
of this burn was commenced by the Department of Parks and Wildlife on Friday, 4
September 2015, when approximately 7.5 kilometres of edging was undertaken on
the northern boundary of the burn. The burn area subsequently received up to
five millimetres of rain on Saturday, 5 September.
On Bureau of Meteorology advice of
forecast strong northerly winds and elevated temperatures on Wednesday, 9
September, Parks and Wildlife planned to undertake edging of the southern
boundary prior to the passage of these winds to minimise the risk of escape
should there be any re-ignition of the previous edging on the northern
boundary.
On Tuesday, 8 September, further
edging was commenced on the south eastern corner of the burn but, due to
observed fire behaviour, edging was ceased after only 3.5 kilometres and
machinery and crews were used to secure the new edging and were also retained
overnight as a precautionary measure.
(3) The closure
of Albany Highway for approximately 20 hours between Wednesday, 9 September,
and Thursday, 10 September, was unfortunate; however, the government does not
have any plans to compensate parties affected by smoke and traffic disruptions,
which are an occasional consequence from prescribed burning operations.
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