State Government praised for supporting prescribed burning
MEDIA RELEASE - State Government praised for supporting prescribed burning
May 2015
The State Government announced this week that $20 million of Royalties for Regions money is being dedicated to the prescribed burning program to help reach, and surpass, the annual target of 200,000 hectares.Shire of Manjimup President Wade DeCampo is praising the decision and urging the general public to have some tolerance and compassion for what the prescribed burning program will achieve.
"There are few people that will know what it is like to sit in a community meeting and be told that their homes, possessions and livelihoods are in grave and imminent danger. People in two of our communities, in particular Northcliffe and surrounds, have experienced just that," explained Cr DeCampo.
The Department of Parks and Wildlife (www.dpaw.wa.gov.au) conduct prescribed burns for a number of reasons, including:
to maintain biodiversity;
to mitigate the severity of bushfires and to help protect lives and property by reducing the build-up of flammable fuel loads;
to rehabilitate vegetation after disturbance, such as timber harvesting and mining; and
to undertake research on fire and its interaction with our environment.
"There is no better evidence that reduced fuel loads greatly contribute to the suppression of fire, than the wildfire experienced here in February. This fire was uncontrollable, jumping containment lines; but when it ran into low fuel areas, it extinguished," said Cr DeCampo."
"We can all relate to how unpleasant it is when smoke lingers, particularly in areas outside of prescribed burning areas, and especially when it affects small children and people with respiratory issues," said Cr DeCampo, who also emphasised how the prescribed burning benefits everyone across the state, not just those who live in bushfire prone areas. "That smoke is just a temporary reminder that positive measures are being taken to prevent the trauma of wildfires across the state; it is protecting everybody's asset, that is, the natural environment and habitat; not to mention preventing the potential loss of livelihood and loss of life."
-ENDS-
Authorised by Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, Shire of Manjimup.
Contact: 9771 7777
Contact Gina Nieuwendyk, Public Relations Officer, Shire of Manjimup
Contact: 9771 7777
Contact for comment: Wade DeCampo, Shire President.
Contact: 0427 094 081
