❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Department of Parks and Wildlife regarding seasonal burning practices on Crown Reserves, including policy details, completion status, and collaboration with local councils and volunteer brigades. The Minister's response outlines the legal basis, program details, progress, and communication strategies.
AnsweredQoN 587Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is there a
requirement for the Department of Parks and Wildlife to reduce the fuel loads
on Crown Reserves by annual seasonal burning? (2) If yes to (1), can the
Minister please outline the related policy, including the size, location and
nature of seasonal burning on Crown Reserves? (3) If yes to (1), has all
seasonal burning on Crown Reserves been carried out in preparation for this
summer’s fire season? (4) If yes to (3), can the
Minister please table the location and dates of this seasonal burning? (5) If no to (3), when
will the department carry out its annual seasonal burning in Crown Reserves? (6) Does the department
liaise with rural Councils and the Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades of Western Australia to
establish the most effective means of reducing fuel loads? (7) If yes to (6), can the
Minister please table details of these meetings? (8) If no to (6), where
does the department get their information to ensure the fuel loads in Crown
Reserves are appropriately reduced and adapted to specific areas?
requirement for the Department of Parks and Wildlife to reduce the fuel loads
on Crown Reserves by annual seasonal burning? (2) If yes to (1), can the
Minister please outline the related policy, including the size, location and
nature of seasonal burning on Crown Reserves? (3) If yes to (1), has all
seasonal burning on Crown Reserves been carried out in preparation for this
summer’s fire season? (4) If yes to (3), can the
Minister please table the location and dates of this seasonal burning? (5) If no to (3), when
will the department carry out its annual seasonal burning in Crown Reserves? (6) Does the department
liaise with rural Councils and the Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades of Western Australia to
establish the most effective means of reducing fuel loads? (7) If yes to (6), can the
Minister please table details of these meetings? (8) If no to (6), where
does the department get their information to ensure the fuel loads in Crown
Reserves are appropriately reduced and adapted to specific areas?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
10 December 2013
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
21 days
(1) The department interprets Section 33 and 33A of the
Conservation and Land Management Act 1984
to enable the application of prescribed fire to the land that it manages to achieve the functions of the department. In addition, the department deems it necessary to manage the bushfire risk associated with department-managed land to meet its common law obligations to manage the risk of harm or damage issuing from a foreseeable risk.
This obligation applies to land for which the department has management responsibility. It does not apply to other Crown reserves, for which the department does not have management responsibility.
(2) The department determines an annual prescribed fire program to address these responsibilities. The approved prescribed fire program for the spring 2013 season consists of 217 individual burns with a combined treatment area of 1,178,155 hectares. The location and extent of this program is posted on the departments public website at:
http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management/fire/prescribed-burning/burns/indicative
.
The preparation and implementation of this program is guided by departmental policy, in particular Policy Statement No 19 - Fire Management, [see tabled paper no.] and Policy Statement No 88 - Prescribed Burning, [see tabled paper no]. The current approved prescribed fire program is provided for the Hon Member's information, [see tabled paper no].
(3) The department has not yet completed its prescribed burning activity for the spring season in the south-west of the State. As at 29 November 2013, the department has completed 29 prescribed burns in the department's three south-west forest regions and another 17 burns have been partially completed for an overall total of 50,783 hectares. In the regions outside the south-west, an area of 2,753 hectares has been completed.
A breakdown by departmental regions is shown, [see tabled paper no].
(4) The department has not yet completed its prescribed burning activity for the spring season in the south-west of the State. The location and date of last ignition for all burns contained in [see tabled paper no] are provided for the Hon Member's information.
(5) The department will continue to implement this program in the south-west until such time as weather and fuel conditions become unsuitable to do so.
(6) The department liaises with local government in the preparation and implementation of its prescribed burning program. The program is notified to local governments within which the department manages land on which prescribed burning is to take place. Local governments are invited to provide comment on the program.
The department also shares its proposed program with Bushfire Advisory Committees with the aim of fostering cooperative and complementary risk treatment across jurisdictional boundaries.
(7) A record of the notifications to local government and the dates and locations of Bushfire Advisory Committee meetings at which the proposed prescribed fire program was discussed, [see tabled paper no].
(8) See (7).
Conservation and Land Management Act 1984
to enable the application of prescribed fire to the land that it manages to achieve the functions of the department. In addition, the department deems it necessary to manage the bushfire risk associated with department-managed land to meet its common law obligations to manage the risk of harm or damage issuing from a foreseeable risk.
This obligation applies to land for which the department has management responsibility. It does not apply to other Crown reserves, for which the department does not have management responsibility.
(2) The department determines an annual prescribed fire program to address these responsibilities. The approved prescribed fire program for the spring 2013 season consists of 217 individual burns with a combined treatment area of 1,178,155 hectares. The location and extent of this program is posted on the departments public website at:
http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management/fire/prescribed-burning/burns/indicative
.
The preparation and implementation of this program is guided by departmental policy, in particular Policy Statement No 19 - Fire Management, [see tabled paper no.] and Policy Statement No 88 - Prescribed Burning, [see tabled paper no]. The current approved prescribed fire program is provided for the Hon Member's information, [see tabled paper no].
(3) The department has not yet completed its prescribed burning activity for the spring season in the south-west of the State. As at 29 November 2013, the department has completed 29 prescribed burns in the department's three south-west forest regions and another 17 burns have been partially completed for an overall total of 50,783 hectares. In the regions outside the south-west, an area of 2,753 hectares has been completed.
A breakdown by departmental regions is shown, [see tabled paper no].
(4) The department has not yet completed its prescribed burning activity for the spring season in the south-west of the State. The location and date of last ignition for all burns contained in [see tabled paper no] are provided for the Hon Member's information.
(5) The department will continue to implement this program in the south-west until such time as weather and fuel conditions become unsuitable to do so.
(6) The department liaises with local government in the preparation and implementation of its prescribed burning program. The program is notified to local governments within which the department manages land on which prescribed burning is to take place. Local governments are invited to provide comment on the program.
The department also shares its proposed program with Bushfire Advisory Committees with the aim of fostering cooperative and complementary risk treatment across jurisdictional boundaries.
(7) A record of the notifications to local government and the dates and locations of Bushfire Advisory Committee meetings at which the proposed prescribed fire program was discussed, [see tabled paper no].
(8) See (7).
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