Scorcher
17-05-2008, 11:18 AM
Hi all,
I've just returned from a conference in Newcastle, and one of the presentations was on Fire Management in Cape York.
A very interesting subject (for some, anyway), which outlined the changes that have occurred in the management of fire across the landscape, over the past 3-5 years or so.
There certainly appears to be a greater focus on colaboration between the various land managers, traditional owners and local bush fire brigades.
Whilst a large majority of the savannah area burns annually (approximately 4 million hectares !!) , whether by lightning strikes, private property hazard reductions, or indiscriminate burning, a greater focus is being placed on reducing the impact of Wildfires. This is largely being done via an early season Aerial Burning Program, which aims to stop the run of wildfires across the landscape, by targetting known "fire runs".
Ant, if your interested in doing a story on this for next years magazine, let me know. I can put you in touch with the guy who manages it. He works out of the Cairns office. A very passionate guy (or just a pyromaniac !). Sometimes hard to tell the difference in my game.
And for anybody about to head up into the Cape in the next few weeks, keep an eye out around Weipa.
They are planning to conduct a series of burns which will cover the area from just north of Weipa through to the Wenlock River (looks to be somewhere near Stoney's Crossing), the southern side of the Wenlock through to Sudley Station (northern side of Batavia Downs), down towards the Batavia Downs "shortcut", then back along the Weipa Rd to just outside Weipa.
Should be pretty spectacular !
Scorcher
I've just returned from a conference in Newcastle, and one of the presentations was on Fire Management in Cape York.
A very interesting subject (for some, anyway), which outlined the changes that have occurred in the management of fire across the landscape, over the past 3-5 years or so.
There certainly appears to be a greater focus on colaboration between the various land managers, traditional owners and local bush fire brigades.
Whilst a large majority of the savannah area burns annually (approximately 4 million hectares !!) , whether by lightning strikes, private property hazard reductions, or indiscriminate burning, a greater focus is being placed on reducing the impact of Wildfires. This is largely being done via an early season Aerial Burning Program, which aims to stop the run of wildfires across the landscape, by targetting known "fire runs".
Ant, if your interested in doing a story on this for next years magazine, let me know. I can put you in touch with the guy who manages it. He works out of the Cairns office. A very passionate guy (or just a pyromaniac !). Sometimes hard to tell the difference in my game.
And for anybody about to head up into the Cape in the next few weeks, keep an eye out around Weipa.
They are planning to conduct a series of burns which will cover the area from just north of Weipa through to the Wenlock River (looks to be somewhere near Stoney's Crossing), the southern side of the Wenlock through to Sudley Station (northern side of Batavia Downs), down towards the Batavia Downs "shortcut", then back along the Weipa Rd to just outside Weipa.
Should be pretty spectacular !
Scorcher