❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses prescribed burns in the Frankland District, focusing on environmental assessments, budget, duration, and consultation with Indigenous groups. The Minister's response provides details on assessment processes, budget allocation, ignition strategies, and engagement with Noongar corporations.
AnsweredQoN 685Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) I refer to the public information session held by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) Warren Regional Office on 11 June 2025, where the draft Burn Options Program 2025-2026 for the Frankland District was presented. In particular, I refer to prescribed burns, Wilmott-Quindinillup FRK_112, Thames South FRK_110, Sheepwash North FRK_094, Conspicuous Cliff FRK_100, Nornalup FRK_099 and Harewood FRK_108, and I ask: (a) what assessments have taken place in preparation for the prescribed burn in relation to: (i) fauna, and in particular those species listed as "Vulnerable", "Endangered" and/or "Critically Endangered", and including listed Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES) species (e.g. Black Cockatoos, Western Ringtail Possum, Quokka); (ii) fauna habitat, including nesting hollows in mature trees; (iii) flora; (iv) indigenous cultural significance, such as granite outcrops and waterways; and (v) sensitive ecosystems (Empodisma peatlands (listed in the "Endangered" category of the threatened ecological communities of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ), granite outcrops, riparian zones)? (2) I refer to information supplied from DBCA via a letter from the Minister’s advisor regarding the Willmott-Quindinillup FRK_112 prescribed burn of 15,121 hectares, which is located in designated core wilderness of the Mount Roe National Park. The area is bounded by Nornalup Road to the west, Bevan Road to the north, Watershed Road to the east, and Basin Road to the south, and I ask: (a) what is the planned budget for this burn, including DBCA fire trucks and earth-moving machinery, water tankers, support vehicles, aerial ignition and surveillance aircraft, incendiaries, traffic management, and personnel; (b) what is the planned duration of the burn, including numbers of consecutive days of aerial ignition and the areas of land covered each day; (c) please provide the strategies in place for creating a mosaic for fauna and flora refuge, and the sizes of the planned unburnt areas; and (d) please provide the success criteria for this prescribed burn, including those specifically pertaining to biodiversity assets? (3) I refer to the Willmott-Quindinillup FRK_112 prescribed burn of 15,121 hectares, which is located in designated core wilderness of the Mount Roe National Park. The area is bounded by Nornalup Road to the west, Bevan Road to the north, Watershed Road to the east, and Basin Road to the south, and I ask: (a) on which date was the Prescribed Fire Plan approved and when did ignitions of Willmott-Quindinillup commence? (4) I refer to the Willmott-Quindinillup FRK_112 prescribed burn of 15,121 hectares, as described in (3) and I ask: (a) can the Minister please provide details of consultations with Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar Aboriginal Corporation, including whether the prescribed Fire Plan was approved by them; and (b) can the Minister please provide details of any consultations with local Noongar Elders, and Noongar Ranger Groups regarding this fire plan?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 November 2025
Responded by
Minister for the Environment
Response time
8 days
(1)
(a)
(i) A desktop review of local records and State and Federal databases was undertaken to identify threatened and priority species for the prescribed burn plan. A regional self-assessment was also completed with input from fire and conservation staff, and additional surveys were conducted where needed.
(ii) Habitat assessment is focused on sedentary species, nesting/occupied hollows and nests. Where these are known to occur, protective measures are included in the planning process.
(iii) All burns have a desktop survey to determine the presence of threatened and priority flora. Each burn will have different monitoring effort based on the species present.
(iv) The prescribed burn planning process includes identification of registered sites of Aboriginal cultural heritage value through the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Inquiry System. DBCA also works in partnership with the six Noongar Regional Aboriginal Corporations through Cooperative Management Agreements and Committees on fire and other land management initiatives.
(v) Pre-burn desktop assessments are undertaken as part of the planning process for all prescribed burns. Field assessments are undertaken on a case-by-case basis, due to the size and complexity of burn cells. Where possible, these assessments identify and map sensitive ecosystems, including Empodisma peatlands, granite outcrops and riparian zones.
(2)
(a) DBCA does not identify a planned budget for each individual burn and instead has an identified budget for the delivery of the district’s annual Burn Options Program.
(b) Due to the number of variables involved in carrying out individual prescribed burns in mixed fuel types, it is not possible to identify the planned duration of the entire burn. As of 21 October 2025, there have been eight days of hand ignition. Aerial ignition is subject to suitable weather conditions and areas within the burn that need to be targeted.
(c) Ignition strategies create a burn mosaic by varying incendiary spacing and placement to leave intentional unburnt refuge areas for flora and fauna, with patch size and location determined by local conditions while maintaining burn security.
(d) The success criteria are:
(3)
(a) The prescribed fire plan was approved on 22 September 2025 and ignition commenced on 24 September 2025.
(4)
(a) – (b) DBCA’s Warren Region presented its Burn Option Program, including FRK 112 Willmott Quindinillup, to the Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar Aboriginal Corporation (WKSN) in August 2025, providing a regular forum to discuss landscape-level fire management. DBCA also works in partnership with WKSN and five other Noongar Regional Aboriginal Corporations through Cooperative Management Agreements and Committees on fire and other land management initiatives.
(a)
(i) A desktop review of local records and State and Federal databases was undertaken to identify threatened and priority species for the prescribed burn plan. A regional self-assessment was also completed with input from fire and conservation staff, and additional surveys were conducted where needed.
(ii) Habitat assessment is focused on sedentary species, nesting/occupied hollows and nests. Where these are known to occur, protective measures are included in the planning process.
(iii) All burns have a desktop survey to determine the presence of threatened and priority flora. Each burn will have different monitoring effort based on the species present.
(iv) The prescribed burn planning process includes identification of registered sites of Aboriginal cultural heritage value through the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Inquiry System. DBCA also works in partnership with the six Noongar Regional Aboriginal Corporations through Cooperative Management Agreements and Committees on fire and other land management initiatives.
(v) Pre-burn desktop assessments are undertaken as part of the planning process for all prescribed burns. Field assessments are undertaken on a case-by-case basis, due to the size and complexity of burn cells. Where possible, these assessments identify and map sensitive ecosystems, including Empodisma peatlands, granite outcrops and riparian zones.
(2)
(a) DBCA does not identify a planned budget for each individual burn and instead has an identified budget for the delivery of the district’s annual Burn Options Program.
(b) Due to the number of variables involved in carrying out individual prescribed burns in mixed fuel types, it is not possible to identify the planned duration of the entire burn. As of 21 October 2025, there have been eight days of hand ignition. Aerial ignition is subject to suitable weather conditions and areas within the burn that need to be targeted.
(c) Ignition strategies create a burn mosaic by varying incendiary spacing and placement to leave intentional unburnt refuge areas for flora and fauna, with patch size and location determined by local conditions while maintaining burn security.
(d) The success criteria are:
(3)
(a) The prescribed fire plan was approved on 22 September 2025 and ignition commenced on 24 September 2025.
(4)
(a) – (b) DBCA’s Warren Region presented its Burn Option Program, including FRK 112 Willmott Quindinillup, to the Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar Aboriginal Corporation (WKSN) in August 2025, providing a regular forum to discuss landscape-level fire management. DBCA also works in partnership with WKSN and five other Noongar Regional Aboriginal Corporations through Cooperative Management Agreements and Committees on fire and other land management initiatives.
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