❓ A WA parliamentary question probes DBCA's assessment and documentation of prescribed burns in the Walpole Wilderness. The Minister provides details on burn severity, scorch height, aerial photography, and checklist completion, tabling some records but declining to table aerial photos due to resource constraints.
AnsweredQoN 1541Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer prescribed burns conducted by the Department of Biodiversity,
Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) in the Walpole Wilderness from 1 October
2021 and now, and I ask: (a) has
DBCA assessed the intensity or severity of the burns, and if yes: (i) are
the assessments recorded; (ii) if
yes to (a)(i), will the Minister table the records; and (iii) if not, why not; (b) has
DBCA assessed the scorch height and defoliation resulting from the burns, and if yes: (i) are
the assessments recorded; (ii) if
yes to (b)(i), will the Minister table the records; and (iii) if not, why not; (c) has
DBCA had aerial photographs taken of the area following the completion of any
of the prescribed burns, and if yes: (i) which
areas have been photographed; (ii) will the Minister table the photographs; and (iii) if not, why not; (d) has DBCA
completed all of the actions described in the Post
Burn Checklists for any of the prescribed burns, and if yes: (i) which prescribed burns; (ii) will the Minister table the Post Burn Checklist
for each burn; and (iii) if not, why not; and (e) as DBCA
completed the Burn Evaluation Summary in the Prescribed Fire Plan for
any of the prescribed burns, and if yes: (i) which
prescribed burns; (ii) will the Minister table the Burn Evaluation
Summary for each burn; and (iii) if not, why not?
Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) in the Walpole Wilderness from 1 October
2021 and now, and I ask: (a) has
DBCA assessed the intensity or severity of the burns, and if yes: (i) are
the assessments recorded; (ii) if
yes to (a)(i), will the Minister table the records; and (iii) if not, why not; (b) has
DBCA assessed the scorch height and defoliation resulting from the burns, and if yes: (i) are
the assessments recorded; (ii) if
yes to (b)(i), will the Minister table the records; and (iii) if not, why not; (c) has
DBCA had aerial photographs taken of the area following the completion of any
of the prescribed burns, and if yes: (i) which
areas have been photographed; (ii) will the Minister table the photographs; and (iii) if not, why not; (d) has DBCA
completed all of the actions described in the Post
Burn Checklists for any of the prescribed burns, and if yes: (i) which prescribed burns; (ii) will the Minister table the Post Burn Checklist
for each burn; and (iii) if not, why not; and (e) as DBCA
completed the Burn Evaluation Summary in the Prescribed Fire Plan for
any of the prescribed burns, and if yes: (i) which
prescribed burns; (ii) will the Minister table the Burn Evaluation
Summary for each burn; and (iii) if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 September 2023
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment
Response time
7 days
(a) No. DBCA has only prepared indicative burn severity maps since January 2023.
1. Not applicable.
2. Not applicable.
3. Not applicable.
(b) Yes.
1. Assessment summaries are recorded in the Burn Evaluation Summary in the prescribed fire plan.
2. Yes – see tabled paper # (Attachment 1).
3. Not applicable.
(c) Yes.
1. Approximately 80 per cent of all prescribed burns commenced or completed between 1 October 2021 and now have many associated aerial photographs taken for the purposes of burn security and confirming the success of burning under a heavy forest canopy.
2. No.
3. DBCA does not have this information readily available for tabling. There are many hundreds of aerial photographs taken at a scale that is not intended to capture entire burn treatment areas. Given the level of agency resourcing required to source and prepare the requested information, it is not considered to be a reasonable use of government resources.
(d) Yes.
1. FRK_087 Surprise
FRK_085 Scotsdale UMR
FRK_081 Sharpe O'Donnell
FRK_092 Peak Roe Crossing
FRK_089 Horseyard Hill
FRK_082 Quickup Dam
2. Yes – see tabled paper # (Attachment 2).
3. Not applicable.
(e) Yes.
1. FRK_087 Surprise
FRK_085 Scotsdale UMR
FRK_081 Sharpe O'Donnell
FRK_092 Peak Roe Crossing
FRK_089 Horseyard Hill
FRK_082 Quickup Dam
2. Yes - see tabled paper # (Attachment 1).
3. Not applicable.
1. Not applicable.
2. Not applicable.
3. Not applicable.
(b) Yes.
1. Assessment summaries are recorded in the Burn Evaluation Summary in the prescribed fire plan.
2. Yes – see tabled paper # (Attachment 1).
3. Not applicable.
(c) Yes.
1. Approximately 80 per cent of all prescribed burns commenced or completed between 1 October 2021 and now have many associated aerial photographs taken for the purposes of burn security and confirming the success of burning under a heavy forest canopy.
2. No.
3. DBCA does not have this information readily available for tabling. There are many hundreds of aerial photographs taken at a scale that is not intended to capture entire burn treatment areas. Given the level of agency resourcing required to source and prepare the requested information, it is not considered to be a reasonable use of government resources.
(d) Yes.
1. FRK_087 Surprise
FRK_085 Scotsdale UMR
FRK_081 Sharpe O'Donnell
FRK_092 Peak Roe Crossing
FRK_089 Horseyard Hill
FRK_082 Quickup Dam
2. Yes – see tabled paper # (Attachment 2).
3. Not applicable.
(e) Yes.
1. FRK_087 Surprise
FRK_085 Scotsdale UMR
FRK_081 Sharpe O'Donnell
FRK_092 Peak Roe Crossing
FRK_089 Horseyard Hill
FRK_082 Quickup Dam
2. Yes - see tabled paper # (Attachment 1).
3. Not applicable.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.