Fire Operations Plan 2014/15 – 2016/17 Hume Region
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Fire Operations Plan 2014/15 – 2016/17 Hume Region Benalla Office 89 Sydney Road Benalla VIC 3672 Phone No. (03) 5761 1611 Fax No. (03) 5761 1628 Email: [email protected] © The State of Victoria Department of Environment and Primary Industries 2014 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria as author. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs or branding, including the Victorian Coat of Arms, the Victorian Government logo and the Department of Environment and Primary Industries logo. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/deed.en ISBN 978-1-74146-259-3 (online) Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an alternative format, please telephone the DEPI Customer Service Centre on 136186, email [email protected] or via the National Relay Service on 133 677 www.relayservice.com.au. This document is also available on the internet at www.depi.vic.gov.au Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. The location and boundaries of proposed planned burn/worksites shown on the attached maps are only approximate and indicative. The precise boundary of any planned burn will be identified on site by DEPI before operations begin. 2016/17 Hume Region Contents R g D c ’ w d 2 Fire Operations Plan 3 Viewing the Fire Operations Plan 4 How to send us your comments on the Fire Operations Plan 4 Preparation of a Fire Operations Plan 5 How to read the Fire Operations Plan 5 Information provided on schedules 6 GOULBURN DISTRICT 7 SCHEDULE 1: Planned Burns 7 SCHEDULE 2: Works Program 18 SCHEDULE 3: Strategic Fuelbreaks 19 No strategic fuelbreak activities are included on the Fire Operations Plan. 19 MURRINDINDI DISTRICT 20 SCHEDULE 1: Planned Burns 20 SCHEDULE 2: Works Program 27 SCHEDULE 3: Strategic Fuelbreaks 28 OVENS DISTRICT 29 SCHEDULE 1: Planned Burns 29 SCHEDULE 2: Works Program 38 SCHEDULE 3: Strategic Fuelbreaks 39 UPPER MURRAY DISTRICT 40 SCHEDULE 1: Planned Burns 40 SCHEDULE 2: Works Program 53 SCHEDULE 3: Strategic Fuelbreaks 54 1 2016/17 Hume Region Regional Director’s Foreword The Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) and Parks Victoria carry out fire prevention activities on Victoria’s public land to help reduce the impacts of bushfires to communities and the environment. Our Fire Operations Plans outline where these fire prevention activities are intended to be carried out over a three year period, if weather and other conditions permit. These activities include planned burning, slashing, mowing and clearing works, track works and construction of fire breaks. Each year we review and update the Hume Fire Operations Plan based on the latest local information. The plan is shaped by feedback and knowledge from local communities and key stakeholders such as the CFA, local councils, forest managers and flora and fauna specialists, as well as key industries. The Fire Operations Plans are an important part of our work to reduce the risk of damaging bushfires. We make changes to the plans wherever we can, but the decision to carry out fire prevention activities is always driven by the need to reduce the impacts of bushfires to our local people, property and the environment. Each Plan is prepared in consultation with communities, local councils, key stakeholders, Parks Victoria, CFA and technical specialists within DEPI. DEPI also works with interest groups and the wider community to understand how planned burns may impact people and industries and to gain important local knowledge to better plan burns. Christine Ferguson, Regional Director, Hume Region 2 2016/17 Hume Region Fire Operations Plan This document contains the proposed fire prevention and preparedness works to be delivered for the period 2014/15 to 2016/17 within the Hume Region. The area covered by this Plan is shown in Map 1. This Plan covers all public land including all national parks, State parks and regional parks and all State forests. Numerous other small reserves and Crown land are also included. Some areas of neighbouring private property may be included in this plan if identified through strategic planning as being a possibility for inclusion with public land fuel treatment. No works would be undertaken in this area until approval is granted by the landowner. The Plan is prepared, and will be implemented, in accordance with the Code of Practice for Bushfire Management on Public Land, and relevant DEPI Instructions, Manuals and Guidelines. To access a copy of the Code, click Code of Practice, or go to www.depi.vic.gov.au then > Fire and Other Emergencies>Bushfire Risk and Learning>Code of Practice. The objectives for the fire management zones are outlined in the Code and form the basis of this Fire Operations Plan. It should be noted that burns associated with logging regeneration as well as small heap and grass burns are not included in the Fire Operation Planning process. The locations of strategic fuelbreaks are included for information only. These activities are approved via other DEPI and Parks Victoria processes. Map 1: Hume Region 3 2016/17 Hume Region Viewing the Fire Operations Plan Office locations for viewing the Plan: The Plan can be viewed during normal business hours at the following locations: Location Address Alexandra DEPI Office 5 Binns McCraes Road, Alexandra Benalla DEPI Office 89 Sydney Road, Benalla Corryong DEPI Office 6-8 Jardine Street, Corryong Ovens DEPI Office 5338 Great Alpine Road, Ovens Mansfield DEPI Office 128 Highett Street, Mansfield Mitta Mitta DEPI Office Omeo Hwy, Mitta Mitta ( by Appt.) Tallangatta DEPI Office Towong Road, Tallangatta Wangaratta DEPI Office Cnr Ford & Ovens Streets Wangaratta Wodonga DEPI Office 1 McKoy Street, Wodonga Viewing the Plan online: You can also view proposed planned burns and other works in the Plan online at: www.depi.vic.gov.au /burns. How to send us your comments on the Fire Operations Plan Although the public comment period for the 2014/15 – 2016/17 Fire Operations Plan has now closed, your comments are still welcome. Please be aware that your comments may be included in next years plan. Contact Details: All comments and suggestions about the Fire Operations Plan should be sent in writing to: Program Manager Planned Burning and Roading 34 Towong Street Tallangatta 3700 Planned Burning Email contact details: Comments may also be sent by email to: [email protected] 4 2016/17 Hume Region Preparation of a Fire Operations Plan The development of a Fire Operations Plan involves the identification of planned burns and other works by DEPI, Parks Victoria and other interested stakeholders. Values and priorities must be balanced in the development of the Plan including: relevant legislation and Departmental policies relating to environmental and cultural heritage protection, and Important note: emergency management; The ability to carry out burns is dependent on seasonal various Departmental fire instructions and guidelines; and local weather conditions. To allow for this, planned burns from the second and third years of the Plan are relevant Fire Protection/Fire Management Plans; considered as contingencies for the first year. This the Code of Practice for Bushfire Management on Public Land; means that a second or third year burn may be brought the Code of Practice for Timber Production; forward to the current year to replace a burn planned for the first year. relevant Forest Management and Park Management Plans; biodiversity, soil, water, economic and cultural values within the District; and environmental, cultural or economic strategies which could be impacted by the Plan’s implementation. Where necessary, prescriptions for particular values maybe specified for each burn which are then incorporated into individual Burn Plans. These prescriptions are reviewed annually to take into account experience from burning operations in the previous season. How to read the Fire Operations Plan Each Fire Operations Plan consists of District Sub Plans containing a number of District Schedules, followed by Regional schedules. District Schedules: Schedule 1 – Planned Burns. This schedule lists planned fuel reduction, ecological and other planned burns by indicative year for the three year period. Schedule 2 – Works Program. This schedule lists the fuel management works program to support the planned burning program. Schedule 3 – Strategic Fuelbreaks. This schedule provides an overview of strategic fuelbreaks to be constructed or maintained during the three year period. 5 2016/17 Hume Region Information provided on schedules Local Government Area (LGA) – the municipality in which the majority of the works site is located. Burn Number and Name / Road Name / Address – an identifier for each burn or planned work site. Location – a bearing and distance of the work site from the nearest major township/locality. Locality – a general description of the area the activity will be performed. Land Manager – the organisation responsible for day-to-day management of the works site – DEPI (Department of Environment and Primary Industries); PV (Parks Victoria). Burn Season – indicates the preferred season in which the burn will be completed. Burn Type – indicates the primary purpose of the burn including fuel reduction burn (FRB), ecological burn (ECO). Land Manager Objective - identifies the desired land management outcome(s) of the burn. Fire Management Zone (FMZ) – an area of land upon which fire is managed for specific asset, fuel and ecological objectives.