Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan

Home , Dart Island, Geeveston, Lachlan Island, Truganini

JUNE 2011

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 1 Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan

3 Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Fire Management Section, Parks and Wildlife Service, GPO Box 1751 Hobart Tasmania 7001

Phone: 03 6233 4622 Fax: 03 6233 3972 www.parks.tas.gov.au

ISBN: 978-0-7246-6570-9

Title: Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan

Publisher/Place: Dept. Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment – Hobart

Publication Date: June 2011 Contents

Strategic Plan 2008–2010 Statement ...... 3

1. Strategic Fire Management Planning 4. Fire Prevention 1.1 Approach ...... 3 4.1 Context ...... 20 1.2 Project Charter ...... 3 4.2 Objective ...... 20 1.3 Objectives ...... 4 4.3 Strategies and Actions ...... 20 1.4 Development of the Strategic Fire Management Plan 5. Preparedness 1.4.1 Project Outputs ...... 4 5.1 Context ...... 28 1.4.2 Project Scope ...... 4 5.2 Objective ...... 28 1.5 Fire Management for PWS in Tasmania ...... 6 5.3 Strategies and Actions ...... 28 1.5.1 Planning Structure ...... 6 1.5.2 Strategic Objectives ...... 6 6. Fire Response 1.5.3 Fire Management Policy and Legislation ...... 7 6.1 Context ...... 30 6.2 Objective ...... 30 2. Southern Region 6.3 Strategies and Actions ...... 30 2.1 Background...... 8 2.2 Area Description...... 8 7. Recovery – Restoration 2.3 Fire History 7.1 Context ...... 33 2.3.1 Fire Regime ...... 10 7.2 Objective ...... 33 2.3.2 Fire Frequency ...... 10 7.3 Strategies and Actions ...... 33 2.3.3 Fire Cycle ...... 11 8. Standards, Monitoring and Reporting 2.3.4 Fire Size ...... 11 8.1 Context ...... 34 2.3.5 Fire Intensity ...... 12 8.2 Objective ...... 34 2.3.6 Fire Type ...... 12 8.3 Strategies and Actions ...... 34 2.4 Fire Environment 2.4.1. Climate and Weather ...... 13 9. Resource Requirements 2.5. Values at Risk ...... 15 9.1 Management of the Strategic Fire Management Plan ...... 36 2.5.1 Constructed Values ...... 15 9.2 Implementation of the Strategic Fire Management Plan 2.5.2 Forest/Agriculture Values ...... 15 ...... 36 2.5.3 Natural Values ...... 15 10. Reference Documents ...... 37 2.6 Vegetation Type ...... 15 11. Glossary and Abbreviations ...... 38 3. Bushfire Risk Assessment Model 3.1 Bushfire Risk Assessment Process ...... 16 ALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY PWS STAFF 3.2 Regional BRAM Outputs 3.2.1 Ignition Potential ...... 16 3.2.2 Suppression Capabilities ...... 16 3.2.3 Values at Risk ...... 16 3.2.4 Fire Behaviour Potential ...... 17 3.3 Bushfire Risk Analysis ...... 17

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 1 Lists of Appendices and Maps

Figure 1: Risk Management Process Overview...... 4 Map 1: Constructed Values...... 55 Figure 2: Map of Council Boundaries with Southern Region...... 8 Map 2: Forest/Agriculture Values...... 56 Figure 3: Map of Lend Tenure...... 9 Map 3: Natural Values...... 57 Figure 4: Fire Size Distribution 1980–2009...... 11 Map 4: Flammability...... 58 Figure 5A: Percentage of Fire Occurrence by Cause in Southern Map 5: Fuel Group...... 59 Region 1966–2009...... 12 Map 6: Ignition Potential...... 60 Figure 5B: Percentage of Area Burned by Cause in Southern Region Map 7: Suppression Capability...... 61 1966–2009...... 12 Map 8: Values at Risk...... 62 Figure 6A: Fire Occurrence by Cause/Month by Decade in the Southern Region 1966–2009...... 14 Map 9: Fire Behaviour Potential...... 63 Figure 6B: Lightning-caused Fires – Area Burned by Decade...... 14 Map 10: Likelihood...... 64 Figure 7: Adamsfield Historic Hut...... 21 Map 11: Consequence...... 65 Figure 8: Meehan Range Trail Class 5...... 22 Map 12: Final Risk Grid...... 66 Map 13: Mt Field National Park – Risk...... 67 Map 13A: Mt Field National Park – Natural Values...... 68 Table 1: Timelines of Development ...... 5 Map 13B: Mt Field National Park – Ignition Potential...... 68 Table 2: Document of Authority or Direction...... 7 Map 14: Southwest National Park – Risk...... 69 Table 3: Temporal Fire Distribution 1966–2009...... 10 Map 14A: Southwest National Park – Natural Values...... 70 Table 4: Forest Fire Danger Index Exceeds 25 and 30...... 13 Map 14B: Southwest National Park – Flammability...... 70 Table 5: Fuel Groups/TASVEG Type...... 16 Map 14C: Southwest National Park – Detection...... 70 Table 6: Qualitative Risk Matrix...... 17 Map 15: Tasman National Park – Risk...... 71 Table 7: Major Reserve BRAM Risk Summary...... 18 Map 15A: Tasman National Park – Values at Risk...... 72 Table 8: Incidence of Abandoned Campfires...... 21 Map 15B: Tasman National Park – Flammability...... 72 Table 9: Strategic Fire Trails...... 23 Map 15C: Tasman National Park – Ignition Potential...... 72 Table 10: Threatened Flora Priority Areas...... 25 Map 16: Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park – Risk...... 73 Table 11: Summary of Strategies for Prevention...... 28 Map 16A: Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park – Table 12: Preparedness Matrix...... 29 Natural Values...... 74 Table 13: Summary of Strategies for Preparedness...... 30 Map 16B: Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park – Flammability...... 74 Table 14: Suppression Strategies – Dry Sclerophyll...... 31 Map 16C: Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park Table 15: Suppression Strategies – Moorland Buttongrass...... 31 – Detection...... 74 Table 16: Typical Rate of Spread for Dry Sclerophyll Forest Map 17: South Bruny National Park – Risk...... 75 and Moorland Buttongrass...... 32 Map 17A: South Bruny National Park – Values at Risk...... 76 Table 17: Bushfire Management Decision Support Matrix...... 32 Map 17B: South Bruny National Park – Flammability...... 76 Table 18: Summary of Strategies for Response...... 33 Map 17C: South Bruny National Park – Ignition Potential...... 76 Table 19: Summary of Strategies for Recovery – Restoration...... 34 Map 18: Seven Mile Beach Protected Area – Risk...... 77 Table 20: Summary of Strategies for Standards, Monitoring and Reporting...... 35 Map 18A: Seven Mile Beach Protected Area – Values at Risk...... 78 Map 18B: Seven Mile Beach Protected Area – Ignition Potential...... 78 Map 19: Meehan Range State and Nature Recreation Areas – Risk....79 Appendix 1: Fire Planning Framework...... 40 Map 19A: Meehan Range State and Nature Recreation Areas Appendix 2: Southern Region Reserve Breakdown...... 41 – Values at Risk...... 80 Appendix 3A: Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Flow Diagram – Map 19B: Meehan Range State and Nature Recreation Areas Ignition Potential...... 44 – Ignition Potential...... 80 Appendix 3B: Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Flow Diagram – Map 19C: Meehan Range State and Nature Recreation Areas Suppression Capabilities...... 45 – Flammability...... 80 Appendix 3C: Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Flow Diagram – Map 20: Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area – Risk...... 81 Values at Risk...... 46 Map 20A: Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area – Ignition Potential...... 82 Appendix 3D: Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Flow Diagram – Map 20B: Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area – Values at Risk...... 82 Fire Behaviour Potential...... 47 Map 21: Coningham Nature Recreation Area – Risk...... 83 Appendix 4: Consequence Table...... 48 Map 22: Southport Lagoon Conservation Area – Risk...... 84 Appendix 5: State Fire Commission Statement Policy...... 49 Map 22A: Southport Lagoon Conservation Area – Natural Values...... 85 Appendix 6: Infrastructure Development...... 50 Map 23: Detection Coverage...... 86 Appendix 7: Daily Fire Action Plan...... 51 Map 24: Southern Region Fire Management Zones...... 87 Appendix 8: Fire History Southern Region...... 53 Map 25: Southern Region Fire Mitigation Priorities...... 88 Appendix 9: Register of Un-resourced Strategies...... 54

2 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Strategic Statement 1. Strategic Fire

Map 1: Constructed Values...... 55 Parks and Wildlife Service Strategic Management Planning Map 2: Forest/Agriculture Values...... 56 Plan 2008–2010 Map 3: Natural Values...... 57 1.1 Approach Map 4: Flammability...... 58 Effective bushfire management requires departmental commitment Map 5: Fuel Group...... 59 Vision Statement and expenditure of adequate resources over time. The allocation of Map 6: Ignition Potential...... 60 To protect, present and manage, in concert with the community, sufficient funding is always a challenge with competing demands on Map 7: Suppression Capability...... 61 Tasmania’s unique and outstanding reserve systems for all the government budget and the changing global economy. A balanced Map 8: Values at Risk...... 62 people, for all time. strategic approach is required to first determine what is at risk and Map 9: Fire Behaviour Potential...... 63 what resources or actions are required to mitigate it. Map 10: Likelihood...... 64 Mission Statement The Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) uses a strategic risk Map 11: Consequence...... 65 To create and maintain a representative and world-renowned management approach to manage bushfire. Risks are identified and Map 12: Final Risk Grid...... 66 reserve system. To conserve the State’s natural and cultural assessed using a risk assessment process, and risk treatments are Map 13: Mt Field National Park – Risk...... 67 heritage while providing for sustainable use and economic applied with the aid of a landscape zoning system. Map 13A: Mt Field National Park – Natural Values...... 68 opportunities for the Tasmanian community. The Strategic Fire Management Plan will provide a strategic Map 13B: Mt Field National Park – Ignition Potential...... 68 approach to all facets of fire management planning. It covers Map 14: Southwest National Park – Risk...... 69 requirements for fire prevention, fire preparedness, fire responses Map 14A: Southwest National Park – Natural Values...... 70 The Strategic Plan and fire recovery. it is intended to provide direction for the Map 14B: Southwest National Park – Flammability...... 70 The plan is set out in six core programs, with clear objectives, development of reserve fire management strategies see( Appendix Map 14C: Southwest National Park – Detection...... 70 strategies and performance indicators. Our business is complex, 1: Fire Planning Framework). The strength in the document lies with Map 15: Tasman National Park – Risk...... 71 and therefore the objectives are listed according to their the wholly strategic approach across jurisdictional boundaries; Map 15A: Tasman National Park – Values at Risk...... 72 primary program areas; however, cross-program relationships are all assumptions were applied statewide, identifying statewide Map 15B: Tasman National Park – Flammability...... 72 acknowledged. Program five is now focused on fire management challenges. as this area is and will continue to be one of the Parks and Map 15C: Tasman National Park – Ignition Potential...... 72 A number of strategies identifed are presently unresourced the Wildlife Service’s core responsibilities. Identifying it as a program Map 16: Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park – Risk...... 73 departments commitment will be based on allocated resourcing reflects the emphasis placed on the program. Map 16A: Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park – levels. The bushfire risk is displayed and analysed to indicate Natural Values...... 74 what the contributing factors that caused the level of risk, land Map 16B: Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park Fire Management Program Objective 5.1 management authorities then can determine whether they can – Flammability...... 74 mitigate or accept the risk. Map 16C: Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park To manage fire and minimise the risks of bushfires. – Detection...... 74 Map 17: South Bruny National Park – Risk...... 75 1.2 Project Charter Map 17A: South Bruny National Park – Values at Risk...... 76 Department of Primary Industries, PWS is responsible for managing nearly 2.5 million hectares of Map 17B: South Bruny National Park – Flammability...... 76 Parks, Water and Environment reserved land and other Crown land. Most of this land is covered Map 17C: South Bruny National Park – Ignition Potential...... 76 by flammable native vegetation, with thousands of kilometres of Map 18: Seven Mile Beach Protected Area – Risk...... 77 Draft Corporate Plan 2011–2013 boundaries with neighbouring private property and State forest. Map 18A: Seven Mile Beach Protected Area – Values at Risk...... 78 Like all land owners, PWS has a legal obligation to keep fire on its Map 18B: Seven Mile Beach Protected Area – Ignition Potential...... 78 own land. Map 19: Meehan Range State and Nature Recreation Areas – Risk....79 Objective However, PWS has never undertaken a strategic assessment of Map 19A: Meehan Range State and Nature Recreation Areas Sustainably manage the Tasmanian National Parks and Reserve – Values at Risk...... 80 the risk exposure in relation to bushfire, and therefore there is no system. logical basis for identifying priorities for works and expenditure, Map 19B: Meehan Range State and Nature Recreation Areas – Ignition Potential...... 80 except at the local level. Map 19C: Meehan Range State and Nature Recreation Areas The Operational Safety Audit of Fire Management within the – Flammability...... 80 Priorities Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service (Ellis, 2005) recommended Map 20: Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area – Risk...... 81 Minimise the risk of bushfires in national parks and reserves that PWS undertake a statewide risk assessment, and a review of Map 20A: Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area – Ignition Potential...... 82 and other Crown land. Fire Management Risk (Rawson, 2006) recommended that PWS Map 20B: Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area – Values at Risk...... 82 undertake the preparation of a strategic fire management plan Map 21: Coningham Nature Recreation Area – Risk...... 83 for each region. The PWS Strategic Plan 2008–2010 includes the Map 22: Southport Lagoon Conservation Area – Risk...... 84 strategy: Develop regional strategic fire management plans. Map 22A: Southport Lagoon Conservation Area – Natural Values...... 85 The plan has been instigated to implement recommendations Map 23: Detection Coverage...... 86 of the Ellis and Rawson reports and to address bushfire risk to Map 24: Southern Region Fire Management Zones...... 87 land managed by PWS by developing a bushfire risk assessment Map 25: Southern Region Fire Mitigation Priorities...... 88 method, computer-based tools to conduct the risk assessment, and a strategic fire management plan for each PWS region to mitigate the bushfire risk.

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 3 1.3 Objectives • The project will work with relevant experts to develop flammability, fire sensitivity, value ratings, fire response and The objective of the plan is to develop a consistent approach appropriate management actions for values and assets. The to fire management planning that addresses the bushfire risk extent of these model inputs will be limited to what can be to land managed by PWS, contributes to the PWS strategic practically developed within the timeframes indicated later in plan and facilitates compliance with recommendations of this plan. the Rawson review of fire management risk and the Ellis operational safety audit by: • The project will conduct a landscape scale risk assessment. This will include land of all tenure. • developing and implementing a fire management planning framework for PWS and strategic fire management plans for each region; Figure 1: Risk Management Process Overview • developing a risk management system to assess, identify, prioritise and manage the risk posed by bushfire hazard to or in relation to land managed by PWS and its values; • developing and implementing operational strategies and CONTEXT: Manage fire and tactics for prevention, preparedness, response and minimise the risk of bushfires recovery at a regional level that take into account environmental and cultural heritage requirements; and • effectively involving the public and other stakeholders in the development of the PWS bushfire risk management system. IDENTIFY RISKS: Ignition Potential, Suppression COMMUNICATE MONITOR Capabilities, Fire Behaviour and CONSULT: and REVIEW: Potential, Stakeholder Performance 1.4 Development of the Values at Risk Strategic Fire Management Committee, Indicators, AFAC Newsletter, Landscape Plan Community Performance Forums Measures 1.4.1 Project Outputs ANALYSE RISK: Bushfire • Strategic fire management objectives for land Risk Assessment Model managed by PWS. • GIS tools and computer models to conduct bushfire risk assessments. • A dynamic AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 consistent landscape scale bushfire risk assessment of land managed by PWS. EVALUATE RISK: Reserve • A strategic fire management zoning system and map for Assessment analysis review land managed by PWS. • A strategic fire management plan for each region of PWS. • Community and other stakeholder satisfaction with the planning process and strategic plan. • Delivery to and facilitation of uptake of the plan by TREAT RISK: each region and provide information to the relevant Prevention – Education, stakeholders. Enforcement, Engineering, Fire Management Zones, Planned Burning, Asset 1.4.2 Project Scope Protection Methodology • The project will develop a bushfire risk assessment process Preparedness – Fire that will be consistent with the approach of the Australian Action Plan Standard AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 (see Figure 1). Response – Bushfire • The project will develop GIS and other computer tools to Management Decision facilitate a landscape scale bushfire risk assessment based Support Matrix on Canadian and Western Australia models.

4 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 • The project will develop a map of strategic fire Table 1: Timelines of Development management zones for land for which PWS has (continued) management responsibility as treatment zones for risk management. This includes land reserved under the Nature Date Task Conservation Act 2002 and managed under the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002, Crown land IT consultant commencing development of context 22/02/08 and public reserves. This does not include private property, layers private property subject to a conservation covenant under the Nature Conservation Act 2002, State forest or forest Ignition potential layer complete 15 June reserves, land owned or managed by local councils, land Suppression capabilities layer complete 30 June owned or managed by Government business enterprises June/August 08 Values at risk layer complete 15 July such as Transend, Aurora or Hydro Tasmania, land owned or Fire behaviour potential layer complete 1 August managed by the Commonwealth, land owned or managed by infrastructure providers such as telecommunications Stakeholder committee support for bushfire risk 07/07/08 companies, gas companies and the like, or reserved land assessment model subject to a lease for exclusive use. Support for Strategic Fire Management Plan (SFMP) 14/07/08 • The project will develop management prescriptions for project from Tasmania National Parks Association strategic fire management zones as treatments for risk management. August 08 Commence Northern Region SFMP

September 08 Draft bushfire risk assessment threat map produced Approach Commencement of interface development for The Strategic Fire Management Plan process for PWS has October 08 been developed progressively since June 2007 (see Table 1). Bushfire Risk Assessment Model (BRAM) An in-depth review of interstate and international agencies was October – Q/A testing of beta version of interface model undertaken to see what was being presently being utilised in December 08 the field. It was then determined that before PWS developed a fire management strategy it must first determine where and if 06/10/08 PWS endorsement for BRAM model a risk actually existed. Work commenced on the development of a Bushfire Risk Assessment Model (BRAM version 1) and the 30/12/08 Draft Northern Region SFMP complete subsequent enhancement with BRAM V2. The other fire agencies (Tasmania Fire Service, Forestry Tasmania) indicated that there 15/01/09 BRAM Phase 1 complete was a need for a statewide seamless output, therefore entire Draft Northern Region SFMP distributed for review state values have been collected where possible, regardless of 25/05/09 by stakeholders tenure. Commitments to provide for annual updates have been made by the various suppliers of data. 25/05/09 Commence work on Southern Region SFMP

01/06/09 Automation review of BRAM Table 1: Timelines of Development 01/06/09 Solicit data from stakeholders Date Task 01/09/09 Automation complete on BRAM V2 01/06/07 Development of project plan, charter and scope 09/12/09 Receipt and input of data for BRAM V2 18/06/07 Development of communication plan 10/12/09 Northern Region SFMP endorsed by GM 30/06/07 PWS executive approval of project plan 01/02/10 BRAM V2 initial run 10/07/07 Draft project objectives 31/05/10 Draft Southern Region SFMP 15/08/07 Research risk assessment models 15/05/10 Commence work on BRAM V3 November/ Formation of steering, stakeholder committees and December 07 working groups

15/12/07 GM approval of objectives

01/01/08 Commence data collection for risk model

15/02/08 Research defining Fire Management Zones

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 5 On completion of the strategic fire management planning 1.5 Fire Management for the Parks project the process in which planned burns and bushfires will and Wildlife Service in Tasmania be managed on PWS-managed land will be a function of the available funding and the implementation of the entire fire management planning framework. 1.5.1 Planning Structure The success of the strategic fire management plans will be Planning for fire management in the Parks and Wildlife Service dependent on these measures being implemented over a will operate in a multi-tiered structure (see Appendix 1: Fire number of years and will not be measurable during the life of Planning Framework): this project (ie next two years). First tier will be at the State level, and will address legislation, code of practices and policy and procedure requirements. Consultation Second tier will be at the regional level, involving the A communication plan was developed early on in the process. development of regional strategic fire management plans, The objectives of this communication plan were to: regional reserve fire management strategies, annual planned burn programs, fire works plans and fire emergency response • raise community and other stakeholder awareness of plans. the strategic fire management planning project through meetings and the distribution of a newsletter; Third tier will be at the field centre level, and will address daily prevention preparedness, and the development of individual • facilitate community and other stakeholder consultation, works plans for specific areas of interest. providing a method to capture local knowledge and review community concerns; • keep interested stakeholders informed and involved during 1.5.2 Strategic Objectives the process; and PWS has the following responsibilities in relation to bushfire: • reduce possible misinformation about the project • to protect people – visitors and neighbours; objectives, outputs and tenure of land covered by the • to protect values on neighbouring properties from fires strategic fire management plan. that spread from reserved land and Crown land; This was achieved by the development of various working • to protect the conservation values of reserves, particularly groups with the identification, categorisation of stakeholders fire-sensitive vegetation and species for which bushfire is a and target groups being developed. The message was threat; disseminated to the various audiences by the use of an information newsletter, intranet and internet sites. • to provide a safe work environment for staff and fire- fighters from other agencies engaged in fire suppression The stakeholder committees consisted of membership from operations on reserved land. the following organisations: Historically, the focus of fire management statewide has been Parks and Wildlife Service fire suppression. Current practices need to shift and take Biodiversity Conservation Branch, DPIPWE into consideration both the positive and negative impacts of bushfires. Natural and planned fires remove fuel accumulation, Tasmania Fire Service therefore resulting in less intense and less severe bushfires. Forestry Tasmania Natural fire cycles will differ in frequency and intensity, depending on geographic location. Forest Industries Association of Tasmania The interruption of the natural cycle results in a buildup of State Emergency Service fuels, with the potential to create larger fires and higher fire Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association intensities than may have occurred naturally. A strategic and adaptive approach will recognise the need to allow natural fire Local Government Association of Tasmania regimes to resume in the landscape where feasible. Department of Premier and Cabinet The objective of the development of the Strategic Fire Natural Resource Management North Management Plan for PWS is to present an opportunity to change from existing fire management practices in order to Natural Resource Management South develop a landscape approach strategy that minimises human Cradle Coast Natural Resource Management manipulation and suppression activities while achieving key goals. Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council

6 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 To assist in the implementation, fire management will follow a Table 2: Document of Authority or Direction two-part approach: (continued) First, with Bushfire Management through the PWS Fire development and implementation of fire management zone Management Subject protocols, this will provide direction for assessing, actioning Policies and prioritising bushfire within each identified zone (see Fire Management Zones, page 25). PR-057 Fire duties availability and recall Second, in the application of a Planned Fire component, P-048 Fire and developments (buildings) the introduction of various sizes, arrangements and intensities of fire can achieve a variety of management objectives (see P-049 Fire fighter fitness policy Planned Fire Strategy, page 23). The various strategic burns will assist in the implementation of the bushfire management zone P-050 Fire management policy protocols. P-052 Planned burning

1.5.3 Fire Management Policy and Legislation PR-019 Bushfire database reporting procedures The authority and direction for the Parks and Wildlife Service in regard to fire management comes from legislation and PR-045 Fire duty officer procedures departmental policy (see Table 2). The fire management section is presently reviewing and updating policies as required, and PR-046 Inexperience fire fighters on the fire ground in future will look at amendments to the existing legislation to Fire fighter personal protective equipment PR-047 assist in the management of fire protection. procedures

Table 2: Document of Authority or Direction PR-048 Bushfire response procedures

PR-052 Vehicle emergency lights procedures Legislation Relevant Section

P-055 Fire planning policy Fire Services Act 1979 Section 45

PR-100 Fire vehicle specifications National Parks and Reserve Section 30 and 88A Management Act 2002 SWP-010 Fire fatigue management Crown Lands Act 1976 G - 101 Pws incident management teams Threatened Species Protection Act 1995

Aboriginal Relics Act 1975

Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Forest Practices Act 1985

State Coastal Policy 1996

Water Management Act 1999/ State Policy on Water Quality Management 1997

Note: only the most relevant legislation is listed here.

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 7 2. Southern Region 2.2 Area Description 2.1 Background The Southern Region encompasses an area from Port Davey in the west, and Little Swanport in the north-east, south to Cockle The Parks and Wildlife Strategic Plan identifies the need to Creek. It also includes Maria Island and Macquarie Island. Major develop regional strategic fire management plans, along with reserves of the region include Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers performance indicators showing that the percent and area National Park, South Bruny National Park, Southwest National negatively impacted by bushfire decreases over time. Park, Adamsfield Conservation Area, Mount Field National Park, The Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Seven Mile Beach Protected Area and Tasman National Park. Council are in the process of developing National Landscape A total of 143 individual land areas with a combined area of Fire Performance Indicators and when complete PWS will 1 383 172 hectares is managed by PWS Southern Region adjust its indicators to align with these. staff (see Appendix 2: Southern Region Reserve Breakdown). This An initial Bushfire Risk Assessment Model (BRAM) was PWS jurisdiction incorporates twelve local government councils developed and run for the state of Tasmania in 2008 with a in part or whole (see Figure 2) and lies alongside multiple land subsequent re-run of the model occurring at the end of 2009. tenures (see Figure 3). Further enhancements of the BRAM are proposed to refine the power of the model to identify risk. An analysis of the extracted data will be the basis for the mitigation strategies in the regional strategic fire management plans, as each region will have unique challenges and opportunities. The goal is to develop a process that allows systems to be in place before, during and after a bushfire to reduce loss of life, injuries, damage to environment, heritage and cultural values, economic loss and social disruption.

Figure 2: Map of Council Boundaries with Southern Region southern region

8 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Figure 3: Map of Land Tenure

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 9 2.3 Fire History

2.3.1 Fire Regime Fire plays an important role in maintaining species diversity The objective of vegetation management in reserves is to in most of the native vegetation in Australia, particularly in maintain the range of vegetation communities and successional eucalypt forest, coastal heathlands, moorland, grassland enlisted stages within these communities and fire intervals. In so doing, communities and related shrubby communities (eg Gill and we hope that all of the species which are present may be Groves, 1981; Harris, 1991; Bradstock et al, 1995). maintained in perpetuity. To see this objective realised, PWS recognises that it is necessary to deliberately burn some areas: There is good evidence that the indigenous people applied fire is considered to be a natural part of the environment. regular burning to at least some areas in Tasmania for thousands PWS also appreciates that even with an ecological burning of years, although the extent to which Aboriginal burning program, we cannot be certain that we will maintain all has modified or influenced the vegetation is a controversial species populations, because of the very limited knowledge of topic (Bowman, 1998). Before the arrival of the Aboriginal appropriate fire regimes which is currently available. people, lightning strikes were the only source of ignition, which probably produced a very different pattern of burning to that imposed by Aborigines. It is certain, however, that fire has been 2.3.2 Fire Frequency present in the Tasmanian environment for a long time. As a Fire frequency is defined as the total number of fires that occur consequence, most native plant and animal species are adapted over a period of time. PWS or its past authority has maintained to cope with fire at least to some extent. records of fires attended by its staff on or near the land that The concept of a ‘fire regime’ is an important one for land it manages. Records from earlier years are incomplete, and managers. Together, the variables of fire frequency, season of fire for the purpose of this report only the information on fires occurrence, fire severity and fire size comprise what is known that affected PWS reserve land and were fought by Forestry as the ‘fire regime’. The variability of all of these factors is also Tasmania and/or PWS staff were used. Records that were known to be very important and contributes to determining available indicated that in the 42 years since 1966 a total of the species present in an area. It’s generally believed that 281 fires have been recorded in what is now the Southern variability contributes to maintaining biodiversity. Region, burning a total of 102 551.66 hectares (ha). In 2007 the largest fires occurred, burning 28 145 ha of forested land see( The season, intensity and frequency of burning are all factors Appendix 9). Annual fire frequency has been variable over the which must be considered when planning fire as an ecological years, with an increasing trend becoming apparent in the last management tool. Fires must be sufficiently intense to stimulate decade. Fire statistics had a wide variation from numbers/year flowering and germination of plants (eg Jones, 1988; Auld and to area burned (see Table 3). O’Connell, 1989; Bradstock and Auld, 1995); frequent enough to prevent the dominance of tall shrub species in heathlands (eg Specht and Specht, 1989; Keith and Bradstock, 1994); but Table 3: Temporal Fire Distribution in Southern not so frequent as to eliminate plant species which require time Region 1966–2009 to reach flowering age and produce seed (eg Benson, 1985; Gill Number and Bradstock, 1992). It is also essential to allow variation in the Time Period Area Burned (ha) inter-fire interval to maintain species diversity (eg Bradstock et of Fires al, 1995; Morrison et al, 1995; Cary and Morrison, 1995). 2000–2009 167 86,636.16 Notwithstanding the lack of knowledge about the long term fire history of the reserves in the PWS Southern Region, 1990–1999* 90 4863.3 the fire-adapted nature of most of the native vegetation is well recognised. An analysis to investigate the relationship 1980–1989* 21 10,993.9 between vegetation communities and lightning distribution has been explored, and is a possible explanation for the current 1970–1979* 3 58.3 vegetation mosaic in south-west Tasmania (eg King 2004). A single bushfire is not thought to be a threat to the long term 1966–1969* 0 None recorded survival or continued presence of any plant or animal species, except in the wetter vegetation communities such as rainforest *Records prior to 1990 are very incomplete. In 1996-97 the areas of the reserve system increased dramatically as an outcome of the RFA process, which or wet eucalypt forest and alpine and sub-alpine communities. would therefore have an effect on the total number of bushfires that were An inappropriate fire regime, however, may lead to the recorded and included in statistics. reduction in abundance of some species or their complete extinction within some areas.

10 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 2.3.3 Fire Cycle 2.3.4 Fire Size Fire cycle is defined as a period of time within which an area Because detailed fire information is not available for the equal to the total area of vegetation type will be burned region prior to 1966, only the statistics since that time (Tolhurst 2000). This detailed fire cycle information is not can be reviewed. In the Southern Region there have been presently available for the region, but would be extremely useful 281 bushfires recorded between 1966 and 2009. The largest to help us understand the extent to which specific vegetation fire affecting a reserve occurred in 2007, and burned 28,145 ha, types are being burned. A study of similar geographic areas which was 32% of the area burned during this period of time. could be undertaken to look for similar conclusions. In general, Over 86% of the fires during that timeframe were under the fire cycle in this area has a high level of complexity due to 100 ha. By the 1980s the average fire size was 524 hectares. the significant number of vegetation types. The 90s saw a significant decrease to 54 hectares, but during the 2000s the average size had again increased to 350 ha. In review of size distribution (see Figure 4) it appears that there is a significant percentage increase in the number of fires occurring in the <1 hectare class. This change may be attributed to improved detection methods, which enables a quicker response for suppression resources. The data also indicates a slightly increasing trend of larger size class fires.

Figure 4: Fire Size Distribution in Southern Region 1980–2009

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 11 2.3.5 Fire Intensity 2.3.6 Fire Type Fire intensity is a measurement of the amount of energy Fire type refers to the true cause of the fire, either human- released per given length of flame front (kw/m). The fire caused or ignited by lightning. The total leading cause of fires for regime in the Southern Region can be best described as the Southern Region from 1966 to 2009 was human-caused, having frequent small, low-intensity surface fires with the only which accounted for 86% of the total fire occurrences and exception being in the moorland buttongrass community. about 68% of the area burned. Human-caused fires can be The reason for this is that the majority of the region falls within further broken down by true causes as defined by categories a wet climate zone of Tasmania, which supports high surface fuel used by PWS: Figure 5A and Figure 5B outline the further decomposition rates, and slow surface fuel accumulation rates. detail which allows for analysis and target groups for prevention This combination can develop areas that support moderate strategies. Figure 6B indicates that lightning-caused fires are on intensities in dry forest, scrub, moorland buttongrass and the the increase over the last couple of decades, which supports rare high-intensity stand replacing fire events only occurring Bureau of Meteorology observations. with prolonged drought factors.

Figure 5A: Percentage of Fire Occurrence by Cause in Southern Region 1966–2009

arson escape caused lightning accident unknown residence recreation

other human- not identified undetermined

Figure 5B: Percentage of Area Burned by Cause in Southern Region 1966–2009

arson escape caused lightning accident unknown residence recreation

other human- not identified undetermined

12 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 2.4 Fire Environment

2.4.1 Climate and Weather A fire season is defined as the period of time in which fires The fire season in the Southern Region of Tasmania extends are most likely to occur. Fire seasons can vary geographically: from September to March (during which 89% of the incidents across the southern part of mainland Australia, above-normal occurred); this extended period occurs due to the flammable fire potential has existed in recent times, but these conditions characteristics of the moorland buttongrass vegetation have eased in Tasmania due to the above-normal precipitation complexes. Major fire events usually occur when the Fire occurring in the winter of 2009. Fire potential depends on Danger Index (FDI) exceeds 25. At or above this value, fire multiple factors. The stage is often set by the antecedent rainfall, behaviour normally prevents successful suppression capabilities. which factors in with the amount of fuel availability and time of Table 4 indicates historical daily records when reporting grass curing. weather stations exceeded critical FDI values.

Table 4: Fire Danger Index Exceeds 25 and 50

Weather Station No. of Days Exceed FDI 25 No. of Days exceed FDI 50 90 Percentile FDI

Number Station 1992–2000 2000–08 1992–2000 2000–08 2000–08

97072 Strahan (93)3 4 0 5 7

97053 Strathgordon (99)0 2 0 0 4

97083 Scotts Peak (98)0 9 0 1 8

95018 Tarraleah (94)1 2 0 0 10

95048 Ouse (98)8 41 0 3 18

95063 Maydena (93)2 1 0 0 8

94041 Maatsuyker n/a 2 0 0 7

94191 Hartz Mtn n/a 1 n/a 0 6

95003 Bushy Park (94)20 31 (94)1 2 18

95060 Moogara (94)0 0 (94)0 0 8

94087 Mt Wellington (94)0 1 (94)0 0 5

94029 Hobart (92)19 28 (92)4 2 15

94137 Geeveston (94)9 7 (94)1 0 10

94020 Dover (94)2 1 (94)1 0 7

94010 Cape Bruny (99)0 1 (99)0 0 7

92027 Orford (99) 0 3 (99) 0 0 7

(Based on 15:00 Actual Weather readings; total number of days for indicated time period in which FDI range was exceeded, (94) indicates the period of time the records were reviewed from 1994–08)

Table 4 suggests that there is a trend of increasing numbers of of all fires are human-caused. With global weather changes the days with fire danger indices above 25 and 50. definition of a ‘normal’ fire season is likely to change. Monthly variations in the occurrence of bushfires can be Figure 6A shows the breakdown of fire by month, but will explained by variations in weather patterns, and correlates require further analysis by decade to determine whether any with periods of time when there is high visitor use, since 86% major shifts are occurring with global change.

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 13

January 18 February 16 14 March 12 April 10 8 May No date 6 June 4 October 2 July July 0 April August January September Arson

Other October Escape Lightning Unknown Residence Accident November RecreaKon Wildﬁre Spot Not IdenKﬁed December Undetermined

Fire Occurrence Cause/Month 2000‐ Nov 2009

Figure 6A: Fire Occurrence by Cause/Month by Decade in the Southern Region 1966–2008

January 25 Febuary 20 March

15 April May 10 No Date June 5 October July July 0 April August January September Arson

Other October Escape Lightning Unknown Residence Accident November RecreaKon Wildﬁre Spot Not IdenKﬁed December Undetermined

Fire Occurrence Cause/Month 1966 Figure 6B: Lightning-caused Fires‐ 2009 – Area Burned by Decade

14 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 2.5 Values at Risk Relevant representatives from FT, Gunns, Norske Skog, Private Forest, Timberlands Pacific Pty Ltd and PWS have provided ongoing Values are defined as objects or locations that hold a relative advice on which data should be collected and scored within the economic, social or environmental worth within and outside relative groups, and that may change in future. of reserves. Not all values are affected or damaged by fire. Spatial data, for analysis in a geographic information system (GIS), were collected state-wide from a variety of sources 2.5.3 Natural Values to attempt to develop a comprehensive collection of values. The items in this classification are specific flora, fauna, geo- The objects collected were then classified into three categories: conservation and Ramsar sites, along with some water Constructed; Forest/Agriculture; and Natural values. Impacts catchment locations which have been identified as requiring from bushfires were based on fire passage, not impacts that special protection. With flora, the specialists reviewed both might occur due to fire suppression activities. individual species as well as communities; their status and risk parameters for inappopriate fire frequency. Fauna species were 2.5.1 Constructed Values categorised relative to their individual restricted range (where local mortality could have high significant impact on species The items in this classification are values that have been built or survival) and vulnerability (where impact could cause mortality constructed by humans, including both historical and modern in the majority of individuals). Geo-conservation and water structures. Inputs into this classification have been broken down catchment areas were categorised by their sensitivity to impacts into the following seven subgroups (see Appendix: Map 1): from bushfires on their landbase see( Appendix: Map 3). • Life: spatial locations that have a high probability of Relevant specialist have provided ongoing advice that is the best temporary visitor use within the reserves. available at the time on the basis of limited information and a • Neighbour: spatial locations of multiple density populations number of quite arbitrary decisions regarding relative values, and that occur within 200 m of a reserve boundary. that may change in future. (Fire Management Section (2011) Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Project – Business Process • Wildland Urban Interface: locations of single, multiple, high Model V4. Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and density populations along with businesses. Environment, Hobart). • Critical Infrastructure: locations of facilities that if temporarily Data on Aboriginal cultural values are not presently available for disrupted would cause extensive economic or social this project. impact. • Burnable Infrastructure: locations of facilities that if disrupted would cause some economic or social impact but could be 2.6 Vegetation Type replaced in a relatively short timeframe. Within the reserve system in Tasmania there exists a variety of vegetation communities which are inventoried through TASVEG • Heritage: locations of both State- and Commonwealth- Version 2.0. The underlying attributes were interpreted as listed historic buildings. ‘Flammability Classes’ (Pyrke and Marsden-Smedley, 2005) and • Non-burnable: values which cannot be negatively affected by ‘Fuel Groups’, which were used in this project to assist in the the passage of a bushfire. analysis of fire behaviour in Tasmanian vegetation communities. Relevant representatives from SES, LGAT, TFS and PWS have Flammability classes were assigned to 5 categories from provided ongoing advice on which data should be collected and Extreme to Low (see Appendix: Map 4) with fuel grouping scored within the relative groups, and that may change in future. broken up into 14 broad types based on fuel structure (see Appendix: Map 5 and Table 5). 2.5.2 Forest/Agriculture Values This is a relative economic value classification of managed forested land and research monitoring plots, along with some locations of horticulture production areas. Forest values were broken into 6 relative economic classes ranging from Class 0 to Class 5, with Class 5 being the highest value commercial plantation, through to Class 0, which are areas that are presently not managed for commercial economic return (see Appendix: Map 2). At this time all horticulture values are captured in a single amalgamated data base. Examples of other values which could be captured are apiary operations and high-value grazing locations.

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 15 Table 5: Fuel Groups/TASVEG type 3. Bushfire Risk Fuel Group TASVEG Types Covered Assessment Model Fuel Group 1 Dry sclerophyll forest, dry sclerophyll woodlands (BRAM)

Fuel Group 2 Buttongrass moorland 3.1 Bushfire Risk Assessment Fuel Group 3 Heathland, dry scrub, coastal shrub, wet scrub, Process swamp and wetland Both the Ellis and Rawson reports recommend the development of a risk assessment to help PWS focus on a Fuel Group 4 Grassland, native grassland strategic direction in regard to fire risk mitigation.

Fuel Group 5 Radiata and eucalypt plantations International literature research was undertaken to review what existing computer models were presently being utilised. Models Fuel Group 6 Wet sclerophyll woodlands – forests, mixed forests from the following locations were reviewed: Western Australia, Canberra, New Zealand, South Africa, Greece, United States, Fuel Group 7 Gorse, flammable weeds British Columbia, and Alberta. Ideas and processes were used and enhanced to come up with Fuel Group 8 Rainforest the model which was required and developed for Tasmania. The processes helped evaluate four key input components Fuel Group 9 Slash to the model, which identifies challenges or shortfalls with the existing management direction. The model is built in a Fuel Group 10 Shelterwood coupes (burnt) geographic information system utilising various spatial data, fire behaviour equations and climate records from many sources. Fuel Group 10A Shelterwood coupes (unburnt) The Bushfire Risk Assessment Model (BRAM) is the result (Fire Management Section (2011) Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Project – Business Process Model V4. Department of Fuel Group 11 Alpine, sub-alpine with conifers and deciduous beech Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart).

Fuel Group 12 Alpine, sub-alpine sedgy and grassy 3.2 Regional BRAM Outputs Fuel Group 13 Alpine, sub-alpine without conifers and deciduous beech 3.2.1 Ignition Potential Fuel Group 14 Forest agriculture land — which is defined as historical ignition records or natural occurrences which could indicate a risk of ignition (see Appendix: Map 6). A variety of input data was used to determine the final ignition potential output used see( Appendix 3A: Ignition Potential Flow Diagram).

3.2.2 Suppression Capabilities — which is defined as areas within the state where bushfire occurrences can be detected and actioned utilising existing fire management procedures and resources see( Appendix: Map 7). A variety of input data was used to determine the final suppression capabilities output used see( Appendix 3B: Suppression Capabilities Flow Diagram).

3.2.3 Values at Risk — which is defined as any item or area that has either an economic, social or environmental worth (see Appendix: Map 8). A variety of input data (see page 14) was used to determine the final values at risk output used see( Appendix 3C: Values at Risk Flow Diagram).

16 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 3.2.4 Fire Behaviour Potential 3.3 Bushfire Risk Analysis — which is defined as factors that would affect the development To determine overall risk the NERAG (National and propagation of a fire see( Appendix: Map 9). A variety Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines August 2009) of input data was used to determine the final fire behaviour document (see Appendix 4) was used. The level of risk is potential output used (see Appendix 3D: Fire Behaviour Potential determined by combining consequences and likelihood Flow Diagram). (see Table 6).

Table 6: Qualitative Risk Matrix

Consequence (Values at Risk)

1 2 3 4 5

5 High High Extreme Extreme Extreme

4 Mod High High Extreme Extreme

3 Low Mod High Extreme Extreme

2 Low Low Mod High Extreme

Likelihood 1 Low Low Mod High High

Likelihood is defined as a qualitative method to assess the Tasmania, there are gaps in the data inside and outside areas likelihood rating to the consequences occurring. The likelihood of reserved land managed by PWS. For example, the mapped of an event (see Appendix: Map 10) was generated by the fire history which contributes to the Ignition Potential and average combinations of the output generated from the therefore Likelihood layers is not complete on private land following: Ignition Potential, Suppression Capabilities and Fire (ie outside of reserved land and State forest). Also, if additional Behaviour Potential, followed by assigning these output values resources could be directed to assist in the collection of to categories in a likelihood matrix. This is taken to mean the improved datasets in the natural value category and agriculture likelihood of a fire occurring in a specific area which surpasses land (ie grazing), this would greatly contribute to the quality of the ability of the fire agencies to contain within the first the Values at Risk layer and therefore the Consequence layer. 24 hours . Table 7 presents analysis of individual reserves parcels which Consequences are defined as a qualitative rating of damage identifies specific locations of risk by type and an overall from fire to values. The consequences see( Appendix: Map 11) summary breakdown for the entire reserve. This information were taken directly from the output generated through the provides some guidance on what percentage of the reserve is Values at Risk spatial layer output. A representation of risk (see under a specific risk category at a landscape scale. Appendix: Map 12) is developed when you combine the factors The development and use of a onsite risk assessment tool of likelihood and consequence. The generated output map of similar to the ‘Red Zone’* software program could prove to be risk shows qualitative areas of risk, not areas of perceived risk. a valuable tool for staff when working with adjacent residence Thus, the model assists in objectively defining areas where scale concerns. genuine risk is present. In-depth analysis will indicate what factor is the major contributing cause of the risk. It must be noted that the BRAM and therefore the *Red Zone is a mapping software program developed in the consequences, likelihood and risk outputs are based on available United States which assesses sites using a variety of input data. While the maps are presented as complete maps of parameters to determine an overall site hazard score.

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 17 Table 7: Major Reserve BRAM Risk Summary

Risk (Percentage of Reserve) Name Extreme High Moderate Low

Mt Field National Park 2 4 33 62 (see Appendix Map 13)

Approved Plans: Mt Field National Park Management Plan 2002 Reserve Fire Management Strategy: General analysis indicates scattered high fauna values and collection of constructed values at south-east end of the park (see Appendix: Map 13A), limited opportunity for planned burning, high ignition potential (see Appendix: Map 13B) from historic starts. Recommend increased prevention activities along with Emergency Response Plan for high density of site visitors.

Southwest National Park 3 37 19 42 (see Appendix: Map 14)

Approved Plans: South West Fire Management Plan 1988, Tasmanian Wilderness WHA Tactical FMP 2004, Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Management Plan 1999 Reserve Fire Management Strategy: General analysis indicates scattered high natural values along with pockets of constructed values (see Appendix: Map 14A), opportunity for planned burning in highly flammable vegetation see( Appendix: Map 14B), wicks will limit potential fire spread, poor detection coverage see( Appendix: Map 14C). Could be improved by adjusting; increasing spotter flight coverage when lightning risk occurs and subscribing to lightning detection service.

Tasman National Park 10 10 36 44 (see Appendix: Map 15)

Approved Plans: Tasman National Park and Reserves Management Plan 2001, Tasman National Park and Reserves Management Plan 2010 draft Reserve Fire Management Strategy: General analysis indicates random scattered values (see Appendix: Map 15A), except for some critical infrastructure in Eaglehawk Neck. Some opportunity for planned burning in heath and dry sclerophyll vegetation (see Appendix: Map 15B): will reduce fire intensity and increase suppression success.

Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park >1 16 30 54 (see Appendix: Map 16)

Approved Plans: Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Management Plan 1999, Tasmanian Wilderness WHA Tactical FMP 2004 Reserve Fire Management Strategy: General analysis indicates scattered high flora and geo-conservation values see( Appendix: Map 16A), opportunity for planned burning in highly flammable vegetation (see Appendix: Map 16B), wicks will limit potential fire spread, poor detection coverage see( Appendix: Map 16C). Could be improved by adjusting; increasing spotter flight coverage when lightning risk occurs, and ensuring that Mt King William fire tower is manned.

South Bruny National Park 5 4 27 64 (see Appendix: Map 17)

Approved Plans: South Bruny National Park, Waterfall Creek State Reserve, Green Island Nature Reserve Management Plan 2000 Reserve Fire Management Strategy: General analysis indicates random scattered values (see Appendix: Map 17A), except for some critical infrastructure in Adventure Bay, high ignition potential (see Appendix: Map 17C) from historic starts. Some opportunity for planned burning in heath and dry sclerophyll vegetation (see Appendix: Map 17B) will reduce fire intensity and increase suppression success. Recommend increased prevention activities.

Seven Mile Beach Protected 99 >1 0 >1 Area (see Appendix: Map 18)

Reserve Fire Management Strategy: General analysis indicates the area has significant forestry values see( Appendix: Map 18A), high ignition potential (see Appendix: Map 18b) from historic starts. Recommend increased prevention activities, targeted patrols occurring during high FDR days to reduce starts.

Meehan Range State and Nature Recreation Area 79 8 9 3 (see Appendix: Map 19)

Reserve Fire Management Strategy: General analysis indicates the area has significant critical infrastructure values (see Appendix: Map 19A), high ignition potential (see Appendix Map 19B) from historic starts. Recommend increased prevention activities, targeted patrols occurring during high FDR days to reduce fire starts. Some opportunity for planned burning in dry sclerophyll vegetation (see Appendix: Map 19c) will reduce fire intensity and increase suppression success.

18 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Table 7: Major Reserve BRAM Risk Summary (continued)

Risk (Percentage of Reserve) Name Extreme High Moderate Low

Snug Tiers Nature 35 15 13 37 Recreation Area

Approved Plans: Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area and Coningham Nature Recreation Area Fire Management Plan 2004 Reserve Management Strategies: General analysis indicates that the area has moderate geo-conservation values on the central portion of the reserve, along with high value adjacent constructed values (see Appendix: Map 20B), high ignition potential (see Appendix: Map 20A) from adjacent historic starts. Recommend increased prevention activities, targeted patrols occurring during high FDR days to reduce fire starts. Some opportunity for planned burning in dry sclerophyll vegetation will reduce fire intensity and increase suppression success.

Coningham Nature 74 1 9 15 Recreation Area

Approved Plans: Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area and Coningham Nature Recreation Area Fire Management Plan 2004 Reserve Management Strategies: General analysis indicates the area has high flora values on the north portion of the reserve, along with high value adjacent constructed value, high ignition potential from historic starts. Recommend increased prevention activities, targeted patrols occurring during high FDR days to reduce fire starts. Some opportunity for planned burning in dry sclerophyll vegetation will reduce fire intensity and increase suppression success.

Southport Lagoon 2 36 39 22 Conservation Area

Approved Plans: Southport Lagoon Conservation Area Management Plan 2006 Reserve Management Strategies: General analysis indicates that the east area of the reserve has extreme flora value, and portions of the reserve have moderate geo-conservation values (see Appendix: Map 22A), high ignition potential from historic starts. Recommend increased prevention activities, targeted patrols occurring during high FDR days to reduce fire start. Some opportunity for planned burning in dry sclerophyll and scrub vegetation will reduce fire intensity and increase suppression success.

The initial analysis indicates that large areas within PWS The focus for mitigation strategies will be on three main reserves are in fact not a risk, and contribute very little to the fronts: risk in surrounding areas. 1. Prevention, to reduce the number of bushfires Regional working groups should be developed with the occurring three fire agencies represented and local area stakeholders 2. Pro-active response, instead of a reactive to do an in-depth review of the outputs generated by the response, to minimise the negative impacts which could model to determine the contributing factor(s) of areas at risk. be caused by bushfire and ensure that resources are Through community engagement, education can be focused already located where the greatest hazard and risk exists. on developing a better understanding of the areas of genuine qualitative risk, not on areas of perceived risk. 3. Deploying the correct response requirements once a bushfire is detected to minimise the extent of Further analysis will occur for areas within reserves identified the impact. as high or extreme risk to determine if the risk is intolerable, tolerable or acceptable. Mitigation strategies will at present be focused on areas of highest risk due to budget constraints. The BRAM maps at the end of this plan are indicative – it is intended that detailed analyses will utilise GIS and the GIS model.

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 19 pamphlets should include fire awareness and fire management 4. Fire Prevention information for the general public, and provide additional contact leads for interested individuals or groups. 4.1 Context Recent experience has identified that a significant percentage of Prevention controls are designed to prevent the occurrence of the public do not understand the importance of fuel reduction a bushfire and/or facilitate easier control. burning, nor do they appreciate what a planned burn may look like. Thus an education program is required that includes these messages: 4.2 Objective • Fuel reduction burning is essential to protect communities Fire ignition occurs by two factor types: natural (lightning) or from devastating bushfires. human-caused. In fire prevention the focus is to reduce the likelihood of incidents occurring through the initiation of, or • Lots of smoke and large flames will be produced by changes to, education, enforcement or engineering programs. planned fires that are safely under control. The education program will focus on human-caused bushfires. Analysis determined that the major cause breakdown in the Campfires Southern Region is as follows: It has been by noted by staff that in 2010 there was an increase Human-caused in abandoned or unattended campfires on reserved land. Arson: 28% occurrences, 1% area burned These can pose an elevated bushfire threat. Other: 21% occurrences, 7% area burned Reserves which continue to allow the use of open fires should install properly engineered fireplaces and enforce their exclusive Natural use only or evaluate the social impact of initiating a total open Lightning: 14% occurrences, 55% area burned fire ban. Formal site plans should be developed for reserve areas that show a high incidence of abandoned campfires. Any 4.3 Strategies and Actions site developed should be designed as per Australian Standards AS3959–1999 and comply with the provisions of the Fire (Summary of Strategies see Table 11) Service Act 1979 (eg the requirement for 3 metre clearance during the permit season, or 6 metres from highly flammable Education vegetation). The original fire reporting system had not allowed for the capture of this information and therefore the data is not The program should target industrial and agricultural presently included in BRAM. The Forestry Operation Database neighbours, which account for 21% of all the fires which are (FOD) has been modified to incorporate this information so occurring in the reserves (see Figures 5A and 5B for breakdown that in the future this data can be captured. by cause). A fire awareness package should be developed and delivered. Through individual meetings and workshops the Notably, the data accumulated for the 2010 season for messages can be given and adjusted by regional user group the region indicated that the Lime Bay State Reserve had trends (eg four wheel drive, tasmanian aquaculture and fishing 75% of all recreation fire occurrence (see Table 8: Incidence institute clubs). of Abandoned Campfires 2010). The affected areas in this reserve should be assessed and modified by the installation In addition, the Department is part of a working group with of engineered campfire structures and/or the removal of Tasmania Fire Service in the development of Community Alert adjacent fuel accumulations to help reduce the potential for messaging. The Department will continue to work towards a bushfire to occur. In addition, the area should be monitored the development and utilisation of standard bushfire warnings under increased patrols to educate and curb the inappropriate and prevention messaging, including the need for care with practice. The following actions are recommended for Lime Bay campfires, barbecues and planned fire messages. State Reserve: The fire management awareness component of the existing 1. Develop a site plan prioritised based on risk Discovery Ranger program should continue to be upgraded, as only through education can we enact change in culture. 2. Designate areas where fires are allowed A new fire awareness kit was developed and presented to 3. Design and install fireplaces the Discovery Ranger staff so that knowledge transfer from fire management staff can be initiated. Fire management staff 4. Education could accompany Discovery Rangers in their roving activities 5. Enforcement. so that the fire management message can be passed on to the recreational public. Additional support should be provided The Department has identified a need to develop a fire sign to the Discovery Ranger program off season so that the strategy. There is a need to provide clear, consistent and timely awareness message can be provided to both school and information to the public on what and where activities are youth groups through presentations. All existing departmental allowed or restricted along with the present fire situation.

20 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Table 8: Incidence of Abandoned Campfires 2010 Engineering A program will be focused on all infrastructure located within Reserve Name Total Number of the reserve system, both PWS and privately owned. Fires Developed sites should be designed in accordance with Lime Bay State Reserve 15 the Tasmania Fire Service document Guidelines for Development in Bushfire Prone Areas in Tasmania. Tasman National Park 1 Existing PWS structures which do not reach the standards should be tracked through the Information Management Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers 3 System with the scheduled maintenance to convert facilities National Park to standards when possible (see Figure 7). Some of the sites Southwest Conservation Area 1 will be assessed on whether they are compliant with Guidelines for Development in Bushfire Prone Areas in Tasmania. When this pre-incident triage has been completed it will provide valuable information enabling the most effective use of the limited suppression resources of PWS in line with State Fire Enforcement Commission Policy Statement 1/07 (see Appendix 5). Visitors A program should be developed and directed toward malicious to sites deemed un-defendable may be protected by the and irresponsible individuals or companies that show disregard development of an effective emergency response plan with for the legislation and the damage that they cause by bushfires. pre-identified escape routes and ‘nearby safer places’ if available, A process should be developed to investigate all human-caused and educated about the inherent risks which native vegetation fire, and if appropriate, charges should be laid under the existing poses during a bushfire. legislation. Options will be investigated to review existing legislation to allow the Department to recover fire suppression costs. Figure 7: Adamsfield Historical Hut Changes have occurred in the National Parks and Reserve Land Regulations 2009 which will assist departmental staff in designating appropriate locations for allowing or not allowing open fires. Since arson still accounts for 28% of fire occurrence, areas with a high incidence of suspicious ignitions should be monitored closely by patrols, particularly at times of severe fire weather (eg FDI 25). PWS should develop enforcement protocols which could include the following: • The formation of working groups with investigators from Tasmania Police and Tasmania Fire Service to review case files for all fires of suspicious origins. (All efforts should be Before Packers Spur fire, 2007 made to assist in the apprehension of these individuals.) A significant percentage of the fires have been caused by escapes from adjacent landowners. Existing 2008 incident statistics from the Tasmania Fire Service indicate that once the permit season was initiated, the incidence of vegetation fires in the southern region dropped by 30%. Discussion should be initiated with the Tasmania Fire Service to encourage the development of a standard permit season policy, as statistics clearly indicate that there is a reduction of vegetation fire incidents once the declared permit period is in place. A process in which all fires must be registered pre- and post-season would greatly assist duty officers’ ability to look pro-actively for possible hazardous threats to the reserves. After Packers Spur fire, 2007

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 21 Private infrastructure or companies operating through the All built-up fuel loads within the perimeter of the asset existing lease and license program should be externally audited protection zone (see below) should be identified and dealt to determine the level of bushfire risk to their operations and with, otherwise the integrity of protection will be in question. assets (see photo, Appendix 6). Conditions could be applied Fire trails and breaks which are located on multi-jurisdictional through the lease or license renewal program under Section land tenure (eg unallocated Crown land or local government 48 of the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002 land) should be identified, and formal memorandums of to ensure that all buildings are compliant to AS3959-2009 understanding should be developed to provide clear direction (Construction of buildings in bushfire-prone areas) and PWS and authority identifying responsibilities. Fire trail access should policy. This legislation will provide a framework to allow the be controlled through gating, and locked through a tiered key Department to apply fire management operating conditions to system with the level of access control coordinated through the individuals or companies that operate within the reserves. regional office with master access allowed for fire management staff. Where in some situations due to design or site location, compliance is not economic, socially or environmentally Standard naming procedures should be followed as outlined desirable, individual site fire control or evacuation plans could below (eg Meehan Range Nature Recreation Area Class 5 be initiated to help mitigate the risk of loss. In some situations Fire Trail number 25 (as shown in photo, Figure 8) identified as acceptance of the inherent risk may be necessary. Wherever MRNRA5025). This method would avoid confusion and help possible, all new sites should conform to the above referenced identify trails for tracking and maintenance scheduling. A reserve documents. naming nomenclature has been developed for planned burns and should be utilised in a similar way. Fire Trail Guidelines Throughout the reserve system lies a network of fire trails which should be maintained using the standards specified in Figure 8: Meehan Range Trail Class 5 the PWS document Fire Management Infrastructure Categories and Standards as a guide. In general the reserves in the region have a poor network of fire trails, breaks and waterholes. Some reserves such as Peter Murrell State Reserve, Coningham NRA and Lime Bay State Reserve have an adequate network of tracks. The inventory in Table 9 covers nine reserves. The remaining reserves require formal assessments to determine where tracks, breaks and waterholes are required. The strategy is to use the BRAM to help guide and prioritise the development of an effective network of fire trail infrastructure in reserves which are under high and extreme risk. To be of strategic value, fire trails should be located in the following situations: 1. adjacent to the assets which they require to protect 2. leading to strategic water sources 3. breaking up large tracts of contiguous flammable vegetation and fuels 4. facilitating access and egress from reserves 5. providing boundaries for planned burning blocks.

22 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Table 9: Strategic Fire Trails

Reserve Name Trail Name Class Type ID # Firetrail MR1 Class 5 MR1 Meehan Range State Firetrail MR29 Class 5 MR029 Recreation Area Firetrail MR2 Class 5 MR2 Firetrail MR23 Class 5 substandard MR23 Firetrail MR09 Class 5 MR09 Meehan Range Nature Firetrail MR08 Class 5 MR08 Recreation Area Firetrail MR25 Class 5 MR25 Firetrail MR24 Class 5 MR24 Sloping Lagoon North Fire Trail Class 5 Monk Bay Fire Trail Substandard Class 5 Cardwell Ridge Boundary Fire Trail Class 5 Lime Bay State Reserve Mount Stewart Boundary Fire Trail Class 5 Coal Mines West Fire Trail Class 5 Sloping Lagoon South Fire Trail Class 5 Fire Trail SP02 Class 5 SP02 Fire Trail SP03 Class 5 SP03 Tasman National Park Fire Trail SP05 Substandard Class 5 SP05 Fire Trail SP07 Substandard Class 5 SP07 Fire Trail SP08 Substandard Class 5 SP08 Pirates Bay Nature Cashs Lookout Fire Trail Substandard Class 5 Recreation Area

Tasman Arch State Doo Town Boundary Fire Trail assess upgrade to Class 5 Reserve Tasman Arch Boundary Fire Trail Substandard Class 5 Scarborough Fire Trail Class 3 Middle Fire Trail Class 3 Peter Murrell Howden Fire Trail Class 3 State Reserve and Conservation Area Substandard Class 5 – Coffee Creek Fire Trail relocate portion to adjacent field Perimeter Fire Trail Class 5 Pelverata Falls Fire Trail Substandard Class 5 ST04

Snug Tiers Nature Fire Trail ST01 Substandard Class 5 ST01 Recreation Area Fire Trail ST02 Substandard Class 5 ST02 Fire Trail ST03 Substandard Class 5 ST03 Fire Trail CON01 Class 5 CON01 Fire Trail CON03 Class 5 CON03

Coningham Nature Fire Trail CON04 Class 5 CON05 Recreation Area Fire Trail CON05 Class 5 CON05 Fire Trail CON06 Substandard Class 5 CON06 North South Fire Trail Substandard Class 5

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 23 Strategic Water Sources Asset Zone Presently the Department has a heavy reliance on light vehicle water tankers when suppressing bushfires. The assessment, Primary Purpose – geographic location of asset(s) of high inventory, classification and enhancement of water source value or importance availability within our reserve system would greatly assist the department when responding to fires. These units have a small General Location – the physical boundary of the asset carry capacity and require frequent refills to complete a normal operation. General Characteristics – the area involved could be variable in size depending on the value in question (eg hut or threatened flora and fauna polygon) Planning Fuel is the only component of a fire environment that can be Suppression Guidelines – use of a full range of pre- altered to reduce the probability of the occurrence of intense suppression and suppression tactics. The use of machinery bushfires (McArthur 1962). For reserves where they exist, is not permitted unless approved in the management plan the statutory management plans provide some direction as or by the Regional Manager, and is subject to machinery to which mitigation strategies are acceptable. PWS will use hygiene prescriptions. the Fire Management Zone framework (see below), which is aligned with the draft General Management Plan – Southern Region (soon to be released internally), to help guide what the Asset Protection Zone site-specific strategy process will be. Primary Purpose – Area of high strategic importance to Fire Management Zones protect values in asset zones. Bushfires will be managed on a priority basis to confine spread and extinguish. The development of Fire Management Zone protocols will assist in providing operational direction for prioritising bushfires General Location – Areas generally adjacent or upwind from occurring within landscape areas, along with providing direction locations of high significant values in asset zones. Level 1 for mitigation strategies. Zoning protocols, along with all APZ adjacent to neighboring houses may be equivalent to strategies, will be re-assessed on an ongoing basis to determine the Building Protection Zone and or Fuel Modified Buffer whether objectives are being achieved or require modification. Zone of the TFS Guidelines for Development in Bushfire Prone The aim is to designate all reserved land into one of the four Areas of Tasmania. categories of fire management zone. Some reserves may have one or more areas designated to one or more of the zone Level 1 <50 m wide, identifying where further assessment is categories. The four zone categories and protocols associated required to determine mitigation actions with each are described below. Appendix: Map 24 indicates the Level 2 < 1 kilometre wide, identifying where further zones at a regional scale – for detailed examination and analysis assessment is required to determine mitigation actions of the zones it is necessary to utilise a geographic information system on computer which enables zooming in to Mitigation Actions – Treated areas will be variable in size a suitable scale (only PWS tenure displayed). It also highlights and shape, depending on the type of value that requires the impact that adjacent neighbouring assets have on our protecting, and spatial characteristics of the site which reserves system (eg narrow reserves which have no inventoried are available to be modified. Treatments may include values may show up as a APZ1 due to adjacent assets). The mechanical fuel modification (eg slashing), fuel reduction Strategic Fuel Management Zone is developed using the burning, evacuation or engineering (eg a sprinkler system). inventory of TASVEG on all tenure. Not all parts of all asset protection zones will be treated An asset for the purpose of the zoning methodology is – the zones are intended to help guide treatment options, generically defined as a feature either human-made or natural, priorities and location. Consideration must be made of significant value, in which a fire would have a negative impact. for natural and human-made features when defining In the case of some natural assets, inappropriate fire regimes the treatment boundaries, such as fuel type/load, slope, may also have a negative impact. In this respect the process hydrology and access trails. Maintain appropriate fire regimes could be aided by convening an expert panel charged with as far as possible throughout as much of the vegetation as developing a comprehensive list of species or communities possible in the design of treatment. at risk, mapping their location and the development of management prescriptions. Many of these entities do not have Suppression Guidelines – Use of a full range of pre- sufficient information to determine management prescriptions, suppression and suppression tactics. The use of machinery and this should be listed as a priority for additional research and is not permitted unless approved in the management plan monitoring. or by the Regional Manager, and is subject to machinery hygiene prescriptions.

24 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Strategic Fuel Management Zone

Primary Purpose – Aarea of management that will increase General Characteristics – Fuel will be managed by prescribed the likelihood of controlling a bushfire within or the burning of areas of suitable vegetation of sufficient size and forward spread through the area, along with minimising continuity to act as a barrier to fire spread by reducing the potential for a bushfire to achieve a size greater than rate of spread, intensity, spotting under 90th percentile 5 000 ha. (see Table 4) of fire weather by methods and resources available. The aim will be, however, to maintain appropriate General Location – Areas will be located strategically in fuel fire regimes for the vegetation and biodiversity/ types of high or greater flammability see( Forest Fuels); size geodiversity assets as far as possible. greater than 5 000 ha; taking into consideration natural and man-made attributes to provide anchor points. Suppression Guidelines – Fse of a full range of pre- suppression and suppression tactics. The use of machinery is not permitted unless approved in the management plan or by the Regional Manager, and is subject to machinery hygiene prescriptions. Table 10: Threatened Flora Priority Areas

Scientific name Justification Description Location Priority

Frequent burns combined with drought has Ozothamnus reflexifolius Exclude fire Mt Direction Exclusion the potential to eliminate species.

Pherosphaera hookeriana Fire sensitive species. Exclude fire Mt Field Exclusion

Bushfire may kill plant and increase risk of Exclude fire from known sites, burn Lomatia tasmanica Bathhurst Range Exclusion infection by Phytophthora adjacent button grass at 8-15 yr intervals

Corunastylis morrisii At risk of inappropriate fire regimes Preferred interval 8-15yrs Ida Bay High

Inappropriate fire regimes inhibits recruitment Preferred interval 8-15 years, mosaic, Pineapple Rocks Track Prasophyllum castaneum High or eliminate species autumn and Mt Brown

Blindburn Creek and High-B, Spyridium lawrencei Too frequent fire may impact species Preferred interval 10-25 years, autumn The Thumbs Low-T

Overgrown vegetation inhibits recruitment Mt Bleak (Labillardiere Euphrasia fragoas Preferred interval 15-20 years, autumn High and growth Peninsula)

Preferred interval 15-20 years, mosaic, Euphrasia phragmostoma Overgrown vegetation inhibits recruitment Dolomieu Point Very Low autumn

Proasophyllum tunbridgense, Scleranthus diander, Brachyscome Preferred interval 4-8 yr, late summer, Township Lagoon Lack of disturbance may inhibit recruitment High rigidula, Leucochrysum autumn Nature Reserve albicans subsp. albicans var. tricolor

Lack of fire may lead to sensecence and drop Preferred interval 8-20 years, mosaic, Heathy Hills Nature Mirbelia oxylobioides Medium in viability of soil stored seed bank autumn Reserve

Dense grassy ground layer may inhibit Calvert Hill Nature Eucalyptus morrisbyi Watch Low recruitment Reserve

Hibbertia basaltica, Lack of fire may lead to a reduction in Watch after PB 2010 Pontville High Cryptandra amara recruitment and plant sensecence

Epacris stuartii Inappropriate fire a threat Watch refer to TSS census Southport Bluff Low

Spyridium eriocephalum Too frequent fire allied with drought may be Watching, Fire Management Plan East Risdon State Low var. eriocephalum detrimental to species required Reserve

• Threatened Species Section (2010). Prioritisation of Threatened Flora and Fauna, Recovery Actions for the Tasmanian NRM Regions. Nature Conservation Report 10/03 Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart.

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 25 Land Management Zone Planned Fire Strategy Planned fire is used for vegetation management, habitat Primary Purpose – Fire management in the zone is to management and value protection (ie fuel reduction or maintain appropriate fire regimes for the landscape modification). Planned fire is also used as a means to restore vegetation communities, species diversity and cultural fire disturbance patterns over the landscape by the introduction heritage. Land management zones will have secondary of controlled burns that closely mimic the natural range of zones within them that have specific fire management fire variation in the area. With a coordinated approach, a requirements for ecological, research, cultural or other prioritisation hierarchy can be developed so that multiple land reasons. management objectives can be achieved in a single burn.

General Location – Areas remote from significant visitor use As a general principle, only those vegetation communities and assets that are damaged by fire. identified by Pyrke and Marsden-Smedley (2005) as having a low fire sensitivity are suitable for planned burning, including General Characteristics – Vegetation burning should be buttongrass moorland, dry sclerophyll forest and woodland, dry managed in such a fashion that will provide a mosaic of scrub, coastal scrub, heathland and native grassland. post-fire ages which falls within the range of ecological Planned burning will be undertaken primarily in Asset requirements of the flora and fauna present. Secondary Protection Zones and Strategic Fuel Management Zones, land management zones will have prescriptions attached to with priority given to areas where the risk to values is the guide the land managers to achieve the zone’s objectives. highest, as identified by the BRAM. Planned burning may Specific fire regimes can be managed for single species also be undertaken in all zones when and where there is an management (eg Orange-bellied Parrot) but generally identified need for species or communities that require fire. managed at a vegetation community scale. Table 10 identifies areas of threatened plants: these sites require the introduction of fire to maintain population diversity Suppression Guidelines – Use of suppression tactics of and richness. Once areas can be identified for fauna purposes minimal intervention only to maintain appropriate fire they will be added; however at this time the information is not regime or to ensure a fire location stays within the zone. available. The use of machinery is not permitted unless approved in Not all of the native vegetation within Asset Protection Zones, the management plan or by the Regional Manager, and is Strategic Fuel Management Zones and Land Management subject to machinery hygiene prescriptions. Zones is amenable to planned burning. For example, most of the Asset Protection Zone identified by Map 24 in the Ecological Management – Risks to species and ecological Southwest National Park identified for water catchment is communities from inappropriate fire regimes have not Eucalyptus delegantensi forest and Athrotaxis selaginoides. been thoroughly assessed therefore identified. This Planned burning would not be appropriate in these vegetation process could be rectified by identifying the species types because of the very long fire intervals required to and communities at risk, determining appropriate fire maintain biodiversity and vegetation structure. regime, mapping the location and creating secondary land management zones along with management prescriptions.

26 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Methodology for the Identification of Regional Priority Areas within Asset Protection Zones

This section describes the methodology to translate the fire management zones and strategies described above into plans for operations that will be implemented within the region. The Southern Region will be subdivided into workable management units, for example, either by Parks and Reserve Manager jurisdictional areas or by local government council boundaries. Within the defined area all reserves will be examined utilising the methodology listed below. The summary outcome will be a Permanent Fire Management Zone layer with a list and maps of priority blocks by prescription methods.

Step 1: Overlay the extreme and high risk outputs from the BRAM model against the single layer developed for Fire Management Zones (see Appendix: Map 25 – Southern Region Fire Mitigation Priorities). Assets zone data will be acquired from the BRAM models Values at Risk layer for Constructed, Forestry/Agriculture components (which has achieved a value score of 80 or greater and is within 1 km of PWS reserves) and developed Natural Values (threatened flora priority areas and identifed for faunas from point data set for sedentary species and critical habitat for vulnerable or endangered species).

Step 2: Assess the common area identified (Working Fire Management Zone layer) and then determine what management prescription is acceptable: mechanical fuel reduction (eg slashing), planned fire, engineering, or evacuation.

Step 3: Overlay existing approved plans for planned burning and mechanical fuel reduction (eg fire management plans, fire management strategies and burn programs approved through the RAA process or equivalent) against the common area identified in Step 2.

Step 4: The areas not covered by the existing approved plans should then be assessed for treatment options.

Step 5: Site-specific treatments will then be developed for the areas (ie engineering, emergency reponse planning, planned burns), including consideration and utilisation of existing features for unit boundaries (ie trails, topography, fuel load and type). The fire sensitivity and suitability of the vegetation type for prescribed burning must be considered.

Step 6: Prepare a map, or maps, at an appropriate scale of the ‘defining’ treatments within the designated management unit.

Step 7: The proposed reserve fire management strategy will be assessed through the annual planned burning RAA or annual fire management works RAA.

Step 8: Zones will be reconfigured once the development and application of individual reserve fire management strategies have occurred. This information will be input back into the zoning database and will create the Permanent Fire Managment Zone layer.

In areas within APZs, where the above assessment has identified Based on the draft data available, Appendix: Map 22 has that fuel modification is required, hazards and fuel loads within identified the initial areas in Step 2 to be re-evaluated for the zone should be mitigated to a level to enable bushfire mitigation priorities. Existing approved plans along with containment under 90th percentile of fire weather (see Table 6 threatened flora priority areas will be evaluated against for FDI values) by methods and resources available. the outputs generated by this process for verification and prioritisation for mitigation areas. Attempts will be made to Within Level 1 APZs, modification of fuel arrangements should collect similar data for priority areas for threatened fauna and be intended to allow for the safe deployment of suppression incorporate it in the process. The process will be redefined as resources within the zone to defend the asset value, or the model goes through its improvement stages. modified in such a fashion that would increased success rate for suppression action if not pre-deployed. Fuel Hazard Levels The Department should support the development of a bushfire should be maintained at low (Overall Fuel Hazard Guide for South community protection project and re-establish and support Australia). active fire area management committees. The objectives of these projects should be: Within Level 2 APZs, modification of fuel loads is intended to facilitate increased success rate for suppression action. Fuel 1. Development of emergency response plans for reserves Hazard Levels should be maintained at or below moderate that have visitors at high risk (Overall Fuel Hazard Guide for South Australia). 2. Identification of ‘nearby safer places’ within our reserves if they exist.

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 27 Table 11: Summary of Strategies for Prevention

Resource Strategy Appropriate Level of Action Who to Action Status

Fire Management Section/ Development of fire awareness presentations un-resourced Region Education Discovery Ranger awareness Fire Management Section ongoing

Campfire Campfire and sign strategy Region un-resourced

Enforcement Development of enforcement protocols Fire Management Section ongoing

Region/ Assessment Assessment of PWS infrastructure ongoing Management Group

Assessment of private infrastructure on PWS tenure Leases/Licenses Section un-resourced Engineering Inventory, classification, maintenance and Region ongoing identification of fire trails

Inventory, classification of water source locations Region un-resourced

Development of fire management zone procedures Fire Management Section ongoing Planning Re-defining and ground truthing of zones Region ongoing

Emergency response plans Fire Management Section un-resourced

*Register of Un-resourced Strategies (see Appendix 10)

the scene within 30 minutes. In some situations the critical time 5. Preparedness period for the fire or fires to escalate to uncontrollable size may be even shorter than 30 minutes. 5.1 Context In some situations it maybe warranted to have a tactical Preparedness controls are designed to mitigate the impact. air observer available to assist in providing fire intelligence Preparedness means all the activities that make organisations back to the fire duty officers if community messages or fire ready and better able to respond to bushfires. prioritisation is required. Fire Danger Index values triggers will be used to assist staff to determine the level of readiness or positioning of resources 5.2 Objective that are required (see Table 12). A program should be in place to have sufficient staff, resources or processes in place to action incidents. The existing suppression system will be reviewed to determine whether any enhancement can be made to the program Alert levels need to increase as the fire weather danger to improve suppression effectiveness. In the course of the increases. development of the Suppression Capabilites layer of the Bushfire Risk Assessment Model (BRAM), a comprehensive list of factors were inputted and evaluated to determine where 5.3 Strategies and Actions the existing standard procedures provided adequate detection (Summary of Strategies see Table 15) and suppression coverage state-wide. Significantly, areas of The ideal objective is to provide sufficient initial attack capability no coverage or little coverage were also discovered, and are with the aim of suppressing and containing, within 24 hours, any viewable as a separate output layer of the model. fire that threatens values. At times, however, even with all the Whenever and wherever possible, fire fighting resources should strategies and actions in this section, PWS acknowledges that be placed in areas which exhibit ‘High to Extreme’ risk as long resources may not be adequate to achieve this ideal objective. as the existing and forecast weather intelligence supports that When the Fire Danger Index is 18 or higher, any fire will be decision. To assist in the effectiveness of this initiative we have difficult to contain with initial attack unless several crews are on developed processes within the Department:

28 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 1. The identification of accessible departmental It should be noted that the BRAM is a decision support tool accommodation to assist in limiting travel time to and from and should be used in conjunction with staff knowledge to areas of high risk (see listing in Fire Action Plan). make the best informed operational decision. Regional staff could use existing outputs such as Suppression Capabilites 2. The identification of strategic staging areas for helicopters and Values at Risk maps to make adjustments to resource to maximise area coverage by helicopter of PWS-managed deployment to improve daily coverage assessments. land. Additional computer support models should be developed as 3. In collaboration with Forestry Tasmania, development of an enhancement to the BRAM Version 2 to determine daily and plans to use fixed-wing water-bombing aircraft, including forecast bushfire risk. This information can assist with making identification and improvement of suitable airstrips. operational decisions on resource deployment.

Table 12: Preparedness Matrix

ON DUTY Fire Danger Index Shift Times Actions/Resource Requirements Dispatch Times

Pre-Fire Season Regular hours < 60 minutes Fire equipment serviceable. 1 to 11 Low – Moderate Regular hours < 30 minutes Vehicle equipped with appropriate fire gear.

Regular start with All staff must carry PPE and remain contactable. 12 to 24 High possible evening < 15 minutes extension based on risk Assess the need for pre-positioning of fire crew.

Daily fire action plans are prepared. Spotter flights required based on risk. Pre-position and patrol of both ground units and rotary wing to area of concern. 25 to 49 Very High Possible staggered shifts 5 minutes Activation of Incident management team will be considered. Fire Weather Warning with evening extensions Activation of a tactical air observer will be considered. Trail and reserve closure will be implemented. Hot works shutdown to occurin reserves. Campfire restrictions implemented.

MAC group assess the availability of interstate support resources. 50 plus Severe, Extreme, Total closure of specified reserves and trails implemented. Possible staggered shifts Catastrophic 5 minutes with evening extensions Level 3 Incident Management Teams along with resources may Total Fire Ban be pre-positioned.

Planning flights) are in place and operating when the fire danger risk is forecast to exceed 25 FDI. A FDI value of 24 and/or forecast A Daily Fire Action Plan has been developed and will be lightning event over areas will trigger the need for the initiation enhanced to assist PWS staff evaluate risk and determine of spotter flights and linked via the Daily Fire Action Plan. whether threats are located adjacent to areas of high value. The Detection Layer of the BRAM indicates where the existing The plan will assist making appropriate adjustments or pre- detection gaps are located (see Appendix: Map 23). The flight placement of additional response units geographically as paths of spotter flights, ground and air patrol units will be close as possible to the threat and improve effectiveness adjusted to ensure that gaps are covered between manned fire (see Appendix 7: Daily Fire Action Plan). This pro-active process towers coverage. The need for additional ground observation will reduce the assembly and response time of resources to locations can also be evaluated and implemented during high a fire location and therefore support increased containment risk periods. Forecast lightning may also require pre-positioning success rate and decrease area and/or value loss. This and readiness of helicopters and initial attack crews at information will be made available to the other fire agency duty appropriate locations. officers through the PWS state duty officer, which will help to implement the existing MAC protocols. The development of pre-suppression plans for reserves that exhibit high to extreme risk profiles that cannot be mitigated There is a need to review the biosecurity protocols established could enhance suppression effectiveness. The plan could include through Keeping it Clean (Allan and Gartenstein, 2010) of all table top bushfires scenarios identifying trigger points, control staff involved in operations. lines and suppression options. A daily detection plan should be developed to ensure that the appropriate detection agents (eg fire towers, spotter

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 29 Training standard requirements for specific fire roles may also assist in A training program review should be put in place to ensure the utilisation of staff who presently cannot meet the existing that staff are competent, and that training is delivered in a fitness requirements. standard fashion. The review should also identify any training The region should develop a process to assess and review short comings to the present program and help support the their equipment utilisation and allocation levels. Equipment may development of any new course requirements. need to be shifted from low use areas or increased in areas of The updating of the existing statement of duties, along with high use if the existing levels do not adequately provide for the a performance management system to reflect departmental area’s needs. needs in fire management, would greatly assist in addressing The Department owns and operates numerous infrastructure specific resource shortages. facilities, and should explore the opportunity to design an infrastructure protection response component to our fire suppression units.The modifications to our existing light Resourcing tanker units with a combination of portable pumps, sprinklers Development of a procedure to utilise employees along with and/or fire-gel products could be completed, increasing our volunteers in non-combatant fire roles would greatly enhance effectiveness and reducing the risk to the personal safety of fire the resourcing shortage when a fire occurs. A review of fitness fighters in dealing with this type of situation.

Table 13: Summary of Strategies for Preparedness

Resource Strategy Appropriate Level of Action Who to Action Status

Develop a daily fire action plan Region ongoing

Planning Develop a detection plan Region un-resourced

Develop pre-suppression plan Region un-resourced

Review and update departmental training program Fire Management Section

HR/Fire Management Training Update Position SOD ongoing Section

Review and Update staffs WLATS Region

Develop process to utilise non-fire-active PWS Fire Management Section/ un-resourced and non-PWS staff in non-combatant roles HR

Resourcing Develop a process to assess annual resource allocation Region un-resourced

Develop infrastructure protection unit component for Fire Management Section un-resourced light tanker

*Register of Un-resourced Strategies (see Appendix 10) 6.3 Strategies and Actions 6. Fire Response (Summary of Strategies see Table 18) The ideal goal of a successful program is to arrive on the 6.1 Context scene when the fire is in such a state and size that the available Fire response controls are designed to mitigate the impact once resources dispatched can control and contain it within the first the incident occurs. burning period (before 10 am the following day). Fire reponse should not cause environmental damage through incursion of weeds and pathogens as a result of soil disturbance using 6.2 Objective machinery or creating access points for unauthorised users. Reduce the deleterious impacts of fire on life, the environment The Bushfire Risk Assessment Model has attempted to collect a and assets whilst acknowledging that fire is a natural part of the thorough database of all the constructed, forest/agriculture and environment (eg regular fire is required for regeneration and natural values which are located within and/or adjacent to our habitat maintenance in heathland and dry forest communities parks reserves. The Values at Risk layer will display the priorities but has detrimental effects in peat, alpine and rainforest of values which can be used to help identify high value areas. communities).

30 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Action FDI value triggers are recommended to be put in place to assist staff to know what the predicted fire behaviour in fuels will Through staff training, the implementation of regional and state be and the type of suppression tactic which will be successful. duty officer roster system along with the use of the Australasian Note that increased fuel loads, in conjunction with high Soil Inter-service Incident Management System (AIIMS) being used Dryness Index (SDI) values, drastically increase fire behaviour. during bushfires helps to ensure that knowledgable decision are The information below (see Tables 14, 15, 16, 17) will be used being made. as a guide to assist staff in determining the correct type and The Department has existing policies, interagency protocols amount of resources to dispatch to a bushfire at a given Fire and procedures to guide our fire response see( Table 2). Danger Index. In addition, the Department has developed a variety of The strategies of burn-out and aerial ignition discussed in information guidelines to be utilised as decision support tools Tables 14 and 15 are not presently supported by the PWS to assist staff in making knowledgable decisions for the specific training program. The opportunity to develop these skills from response circumstances. Earth-moving equipment may be international training organisations should be explored. required to be used within the reserve system, although proper authorisation is required. The development and implementation of the Fire Management Zone protocols will assist in the assessment and priorisation The existing interstate mutual aid agreement for fire fighting of a single- and multi-fire start situation. Through the ongoing support with Victoria has been renewed and work is continuing development of fire management reserve strategies the areas to develop agreements with other interstate fire agencies. will be redefined and clarified. Additional procedures will be developed as information and resources become available.

Table 14: Suppression Strategies – Dry Sclerophyll (fuel load@15 tonnes/ha)

Fire Danger Head Fire Intensities Rate of Spread Head Fire Flame Strategy/Tactic Index (Kw/m) (km/hr) Height (m)

< 5 < 675 .09 2.0 Direct Attack: Hand Tools

5–12 675–1589 .26 5.0 Direct Attack: Hand Tools

12–24 1 589–3 105 .40 8. Anchor-Flank: Tankers/Aircraft

24–50 3105–7650 .85 14. Indirect: Tankers/Aircraft

50–100 7650–12 600 1.6 Crown Indirect: Burn-out

100 + >12 600 Crown Indirect: Aerial Ignition

Table 15: Suppression Strategies – Moorland Buttongrass (fuel load@10 tonnes/ha; 10 year old, medium productivity site)

Moorland Fire Head Fire Intensities Rate of Spread Head Fire Flame Strategy/Tactic Danger Index (Kw/m) (Km/hr) Height (m)

<3 <900 .30 2.0 Direct Attack: Hand Tools

7 900 – 1800 .60 3.0 Anchor-Flank: Hand Tools

14 1800 – 3600 1.20 5.0 Indirect: Tankers/ Aircraft

30 3600 – 7200 2.40 7.5 Indirect: Aircraft

50 7200 – 10 800 3.60 10.0 Indirect: Burn-out

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 31 Table 16: Typical Rate of Spread for Dry Sclerophyll Forest and Moorland Buttongrass, Time to 1.0 ha. and size at 1 hour response (after fire has established100m flame front)

Fire Danger TYPICAL FIRE BEHAVIOUR Index FUEL TYPE (Based on fire having already accelerated and established a 100m flame front)

FROS (m/min.) TIME TO Size in 60 (fuel load 15t/ha) TYPICAL FIRE TYPE Range Average 1.0 ha. Minute

FDI < 5 Dry Sclerophyll <1.5 <1.5 37.3 min 2.5 ha Ground Surface

FDI 6 – 12 Dry Sclerophyll 1.6–3.5 2.6 21.5 min 7.6 ha Surface

FDI 13 – 24 Dry Sclerophyll 3.6–6.8 5.3 10.6 min 31.8 ha Vigorous Surface/Torching

FDI 25 – 50 Dry Sclerophyll 7.2–14.2 10.7 5.2 min 129.4 ha Torching/Crown

FDI 51 – 100 Dry Sclerophyll >14.2 14.2 4 min 228 ha Active Crown

FDI > 101 Dry Sclerophyll Active Crown

MFDR 1 – 3 Moorland <4. 2.2 25.5 min 5.5 ha Surface

MFDR 4 – 5 Moorland 4.5–8 6.3 8.9 min 44.9 ha Running Surface

MFDR 6 – 12 Moorland 8–17 12.5 4.5 min 176.6 ha Vigorous Surface/ Spotting

MFDR 13 – 24 Moorland 18–34 26 2.2 min 764.1 ha Long Distance Spotting

MFDR 25 – 50 Moorland 35–70 52.5 1 min 3115.7 ha Unpredictable

MFDR 51 – 100 Moorland > 70 > 70 Unpredictable

NOTE: Table based on McArthur Mk5 (FDI) and Moorland Fire Danger Rating Models (MFDR). Drought Factor assumption 10. The Bushfire Management Decision Support Matrixalong with the Fire Management Zone protocols was developed to assist fire management staff to determine what the appropriate tactic and strategy for the specific reserve locations.

Table 17: Bushfire Management Decision Support Matrix

Zone Season/FDI Initial Attack Sustained Action

Asset All Ye s Ye s

Asset Protection All Ye s Yes (will assess if required if it occurs in a proposed burn block)

Fire Season : FDI>12 Yes – for the first Fire will be assessed on whether it will stay within confines of the zone or if it Strategic Fuel burning period occurs in a proposed burn block. If confirmed fire may be monitored or if in Management question indirect attack tactics may be utilised to maintain fire within zone. Outside season: FDI>12 No

Yes – for the first Fire Season : FDI>12 Fire will be assessed on whether it will stay within confines of the zone, burning period Land Management if confirmed fire will be monitored. Outside season: FDI>12 No Indirect or direct suppression tactics will be employed if fire leaves zone.

32 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Table 18: Summaries of Strategies for Response

Strategy Appropriate Level of Action Who to Action Resource Status

Once a fire is reported, dispatch the closest and Regional Fire Duty Action ongoing appropriate number of resources, if available Officer

Ensure that staff making the decision are competent Manager Fire ongoing at that level Operations

Ensure, within limits of overall resource constraints, Regional Fire Duty that sufficient support resources are in place to back ongoing Officer up initial attack or shifting requirements

Manager Fire Ensure decisions are made consistently ongoing Operations

*Register of Un-resourced Strategies (see Appendix 10) 7. Recovery – Restoration 7.1 Context regional/state duty officer systems. If a situation arises and conditions are warranted, internal or external support agencies Once a bushfire has been controlled and extinguished there is are engaged to assist staff in dealing with the occurrence. a need to have a Bushfire Rehabilitation Response Plan (BRRP) in place to prevent the recurrent and further degradation of A procedure is in place to schedule debriefs after all type the affected values. 3 incidents. Through this process, along with the year end summary debrief, the Department goes through a lessons learned procedure that will hopefully identify those things that 7.2 Objective worked and those which did not during the past season. These An effective, transparent, systematic and efficient management findings, if required, can then be used in adjusting policies or process to assess and restore the social, environmental and procedures for the upcoming seasons. economic impact of a bushfire area back to a working and balanced state. It will be required to be implemented as soon as possible. Fire Restoration To aid in the implementation of this objective the Department should develop a bushfire rehabilitation guideline. Within the document will be a process that will assist an Incident 7.3 Strategies and Actions Controller in a method which they can assess and address the short term negative impacts caused by a bushfire. Critical Incident Management The additional development of a Bushfire Rehabililitation The Department trains all staff involved with bushfires in the Response Plan process will be required to address long term process and implementation the Australasian Inter-service negative impacts caused by large landscape bushfires. The Incident Management System. One purpose of AIIMS is to process will identify specific trigger points which will activate provide a management framework for the effective and efficient the process, identifying the immediate and long term resource control of incidents, and through its implementation provides requirements, protocols for assistance from other agencies mechanisms to minimise stress occurring. (eg Resource Management and Conservation Division), along with reporting procedures. Bushfire incidents are constantly monitored within the AIIMS system by the incident controller, or externally through the

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 33 Table 19: Summary of Strategies for Recovery – Restoration

Strategy Appropriate Level of Action Who to Action Resource Status

Actively manage critical incident stress through incident debriefing and support mechanisms Critical Incident Management Provide counselling to staff when required Manager Fire ongoing through the departmental Employee Assistance Operations Program

Conduct external and internal all party debriefs

Assess the need for formal bushfire Incident Controller rehabilitation guideline during and after every fire Fire Restoration Fire Management In the short term perform burn area Section – Planning/ un-resourced stabilisation and rehabilitation work to protect Policy Assurance, social, economic and environment values Resource Management and Development of BRRP guidelines, policies in Conservation regards to all impacts Division

*Register of Un-resourced Strategies (see Appendix 10)

8. Standards, Monitoring and Reporting

8.1 Context Data Collection An adaptive management process is imperative for a successful Fire data is a fundamental ecological dataset used widely for and positive fire management program. Establishment of biodiversity planning, policy and management. It provides a standards, monitoring and reporting procedures will support basis for a range of biodiversity analysis and reporting from and validate current and future program direction. the State of the Environment Reports to State of the Forests and others. There is need for the Department to investigate 8.2 Objective options for high resolution mapping by remote sensing means of fires greater then 50 hectares and in forest types in which To provide measurement standards to assess the effectiveness canopy inhibits assessments (eg rainforest). A method should of the Strategic Fire Management Plan, subordinate operational be developed to determine where and when vegetation plans and to provide a means to collect data that can be used communities have been exposed to inappropriate fire regimes in submission to the AFAC – Landscape Fire Performance (eg too frequent burning). This ability to have an accurate Measures and PWS Strategic Plan – Performance Indicators. account of annual fire impacts assists land management agencies in adjusting natural value prioritising in risk assessments. 8.3 Strategies and Actions Landscape Fire Performance Measures Reporting (Australasian Fire and Emergency Bushfire and Planned Burn Reporting Services Authorities Council) It is essential that good record-keeping is undertaken for The Department this year will provide Phase 1 data for national bushfires and planned burns. This data is essential for fire reporting to the Productivity Commission for the 2005/06 to management planning, the BRAM, risk assessment and 2009/10 years. They are as follows; reporting at many levels, including performance measures, A1 Fire Deaths due to Landscape Fires per 100 000 of annual reports etc. Regional staff must ensure that all reports populations for bushfires and planned burns are submitted to Fire Management Section in a timely manner in accordance with A3 Fire Injuries to fire fighters due to Landscape Fires per PWS policies and procedures. 100 000 of populations E1 The number of landscape fires per 100 000 of populations C1 The number of primary dwellings destroyed by landscape fires per 100 000 dwellings.

34 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Table 20: Summary of Strategies for Standards, Monitoring and Reporting

Strategy Appropriate Level of Action Who to Action Resource Status

Ensure fire and planned burn reports are Region and Fire Management ongoing complete and submitted in a timely manner Section

Investigate options for remote sensing Fire Management Section un-resourced mapping

Investigate options for fire regime mapping Reporting and the additional reporting of the negative Fire Management Section un-resourced effects caused by bushfires

Provide data for AFAC indicators Fire Management Section ongoing

Provide data for PWS Strategic Plan Fire Management Section ongoing indicators

*Register of Un-resourced Strategies (see Appendix 10) *Register of Un-resourced Strategies (see Appendix 10)

We will continue to redefine and work on the collection of Management Plans. Regional Fire Management Officers will Phase 2 indicators by 2011(see Appendix 8). report against individual targets set at the Regional Reserve Fire Management Strategies level. Reporting will be used to track Performance Indicators program achievements and performance, and assist in decision- (Strategic Plan 2008–2010) making. Provide annual reporting figures on the following: a) percentage A review of the Fire Management Program will occur on an and area of land negatively impacted by bushfire; b) percentage annual basis, but major directional changes should not occur and number of scheduled controlled burns successfully solely based on yearly statistical figures. A comprehensive completed; and c) percentage and number of staff trained and review of the Strategic Fire Management Plan will occur every actively involved in fire suppression. five years with annual assessments of operational plans to capture recent operational and scientific developments. Annual statistics will be analysed, taking into consideration seasonal and yearly fluctuations, to determine whether the fire management program of the strategic plan is supporting a reduction of negative impact caused by bushfires.

Operational Indicators Track and monitor annual bushfire statistics to determine whether implemented operational strategies are successful and make adjustments where required.

Reporting Consistent monitoring and reporting is crucial and required against identified performance indicators. A two-tier reporting system will capture information at both strategic and operational levels. The Fire Management Section is to report against set targets which are identified within the PWS Strategic Plan and will develop additional targets (eg percentage of ecological burns successfully completed; percentage of asset protection burns completed) in the Regional Strategic Fire

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 35 9. Resource Requirements

PWS should ideally develop a transparent and consistent responsibilities and helps to identify its potential resource approach for the identification and prioritisation of resource implications. It is clear that effective and efficient fire allocations for the implementation of the Strategic Fire management strategies will require the sustained effort and Management Plan. The existing approaches used to evaluate resources of all fire management agencies within Tasmania. resources required should not be discarded but should be used as support for the strategic direction. A summary of un- resourced strategies occurs on Appendix 9. Once additional 9.2 Implementation of the program funds become available prioritisation could occur. Strategic Fire Management Plan Specific aspects of the Strategic Fire Management Plan will 9.1 Management of the Regional generate demands on PWS and specific individuals responsible Strategic Fire Management Plan for them. In some areas significant effort will be required to keep the strategic focus through the life of the plan. Version 1 The Fire Management Section and Southern Region is of the Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan will be responsible for the implementation of the plan. The functions reviewed, analysed and redefined with new data when available required to monitor the implementation demand human, during the development of subsequent versions, therefore technical and physical resources and will be required creating a living document. consistently for the life of the plan. The ongoing maintenance and updating of the BRAM will be The development of the Strategic Fire Management Plan required through the Fire Management Section. Annual data aims to provide a workable document framework that can submission will be required from the stakeholders (eg Resource be adapted to the changing internal and external pressures. Management and Conservation Division, Forestry Tasmania, This collaborative process identifies PWS legal and moral Gunns, Norske Skog, Private Forest, Hydro, Transend, Aurora).

36 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 10. Reference Documents

The following documents were used in the development of the • Jones, D, 1988 ‘Native orchids of Australia.’ Reed: Forest, NSW. Southern Strategic Fire Management Plan. • Keith, DA, and Bradstock, RA, 1994 Fire and competition in Australian heath: a conceptual model and field investigations. • AFAC Glossary. Journal of Vegetation Science 5, 347-354. • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 Australian Standard Risk • King, Karen J, 2004 Simulating the Effects of Anthropogenic Management. Burning Patterns of Biodiversity, 208-214. • Alexander and Fogarty, 2002 New Zealand Forest Research • McArthur, AG, 1962 Control Burning in Eucalypt Forests. – Fire Technology Transfer Note). • Morrison, DA, Cary, GJ, Pengelly, SM, Ross, DG, Mullins, BJ, • Allan, Kaylene and Gartenstein, Simon, 2010 Keeping it Clean Thomas, CR, and Anderson, TS, 1995 Effects of fire frequency – A Tasmanian field hygiene manual to prevent the spread of on plant species composition of sandstone communities in the freshwater pests and pathogens. Sydney region: Inter-fire interval and time-since-fire. Australian • Auld, TD, and O’Connell, MA,1989 Changes in predispersal Journal of Ecology 20, 239-247. seed predation levels after fire for two Australian legumes, • Parks and Wildlife Service Strategic Plan 2008–2010. Acacia elongata and Sphaerolobium vimineum. Oikos 54, 55-9. • Parks and Wildlife Service (unpublished). Southern Region • Australasian Fire and Emergencies Services Authorities Strategic Fire Management Plan – Project Plan (2010). Council, 2008 Landscape Fire Performance Measures. Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and • Benson, DH, 1985 Maturation periods for fire-sensitive shrub Environment, Hobart. species in Hawkesbury Sandstone vegetation. Cunninghamia • Parks and Wildlife Service (unpublished). Bushfire Risk 1, 339-349. Assessment Model Project Business Process Model (2008). • Bowman, DMJS, 1998 Tansley Review No. 101. The impact of Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Aboriginal landscape burning on the Australian biota. New Environment, Hobart. Phytologist 140, 385-410. • Parks and Wildlife Service (unpublished). Tasmanian Bushfire • Bradstock, RA, and Auld, TD, 1995 Soil temperatures Risk User Guide (2010). Department of Primary Industries, during experimental bushfires in relation to fire intensity: Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart. consequences for legume germination and fire management • Parks and Wildlife Service (unpublished). Tasmanian Bushfire in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Applied Ecology 32, 76-84. Risk Assessment Model V3 (2010). Department of Primary • Bradstock, RA, Keith, DA, and Auld, TD, 1995 Fire and Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart. conservation: imperatives and constraints on managing for • Parks and Wildlife Service, 2009 Northern Region Strategic diversity. In ‘Conserving biodiversity: threats and solutions’ Fire Management Plan. Department of Primary Industries, (Eds R A Bradstock, T D Auld, D A Keith, R T Kingsford, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart. D Lunney, and D P Sivertson), Surrey Beatty and Sons: Chipping Norton, pp. 323-333. • Pyrke, AF, and Marsden-Smedley, JB, 2005 Fire-attributes categories, fire sensitivity, and flammability of Tasmanian • Cary, GJ, and Morrison, DA, 1995 Effects of fire frequency on vegetation communities. Tasforests 16, 35-46. plant species composition of sandstone communities in the Sydney region: Combinations of inter-fire intervals. Australian • Rawson, R, 2006 Review of Fire Management Risk. Tasmanian Journal of Ecology 20, 418-426. Parks and Wildlife Service. • Ellis, S, 2005 The Operational Safety Audit of Fire • Specht, RL, and Specht, A, 1989 Species richness of sclerophyll Management within the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. (heathy) plant communities in Australia – the influence of overstorey cover. Australian Journal of Botany 37, 337-350. • Fire Management Infrastructure Categories and Standards. • Tasmania Fire Service, 1995 Guidelines for Development in • Gill, AM, and Groves, RH, 1981 Fire régimes in heathlands and Bushfire Prone Areas in Tasmania. their plant-ecological effects. In ‘Ecosystems of the World 9B. Heathlands and related shrublands’ (Ed R L Specht), Elsevier: • Threatened Species Section, 2010 Prioritisation of Threatened Amsterdam, pp. 61-84. Flora and Fauna, Recovery Actions for the Tasmanian NRM Regions. Nature Conservation Report 10/03 Department of • Gill, AM, and Bradstock, RA, 1992 A national register for the Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart. fire responses of plant species. Cunninghamia 2, 653-660. • Tolhurst, K, 2000 Guidelines for Ecological Burning in Foothill • Harris, S, 1991 Coastal vegetation. In ‘Tasmanian native bush: Forest of Victoria. a management handbook’. (Ed JB Kirkpatrick), Tasmanian Environment Centre: Hobart, pp. 128-147.

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 37 11. Glossary and Abbreviations

Aerial Ignition: ignition of fuels by dropping incendiary Fire Response: actions taken in anticipation of, during, and devices or materials from aircraft immediately after an incident to ensure that its effects are AFAC: Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities minimised Council Fire Regime: a combination of variables of fire frequency, Anchor: an advantageous location, usually a barrier to fire season of occurrence, fire severity and fire size which best spread, from which to start constructing a fire line describe a given landscape APZ: asset protection zone Fire Severity: a general term most commonly used to describe the combined affects of both flaming combustion and AS: Australian Standards document smouldering combustion on either a bushfire or prescribed AS/NZS: Australian/New Zealand Standard document fire site as manifested in various fire behaviour characteristics (eg fire intensity, flame height and length, residence and burn- BOM: Bureau of Meteorology out times etc) BRAM: Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Fire Suppression: all activities concerned with controlling BRRP: Bushfire Rehabilitation Response Plan and extinguishing a fire following its detection; synonymous with fire control Burn-out: a fire set to consume islands of unburnt fuel inside the fire perimeter and between the fire edge and fireline Fire Type: true cause of fire ignition Bushfire: a general term used to describe a fire in vegetation Flammability Class: a method used to classify vegetation into similar flammable characteristics Community Fire Refuges: buildings identified by the TFS in partnership with councils and other government agencies Flank: obtaining control of a fire by attacking its side/s (flank/s) that offer basic amenities including temporary shelter, drinking FOD: Forestry Operations database water and toilet facilities FROS: forward rate of spread Crown Fire: a fire that advances from top to top of trees or shrubs FT: Forestry Tasmania Direct Attack: a method of fire attack where wet or dry Fuel Group: a method used to group vegetation types with fire fighting techniques are used. It involves suppression action similar fuel structure arrangements right on the fire edge which then becomes the fireline FWD: four wheel drive Emergency Response Plan: a document which helps GIS: Geographic Information System provide direction to staff in case of an emergency GM: General Manager of Parks and Wildlife Service Fire Cycle: a period of time within which an area equal to the total vegetation type will be burned Ground Fire: fire that consumes the organic material beneath the surface litter ground, such as a peat fire FDI: Fire Danger Index ha: hectares Fire Behaviour Potential: factors that would affect the development and propagation of a fire Ignition Potential: a method to classify historical ignition records along with potential start from natural causes of Fire Frequency: total number of fires that occurred over a occurrence which could indicate a risk period of time Indirect Attack: a method of suppression in which the Fire Intensity: measurement of the amount of energy control line is located some considerable distance away released per given length of flame front from the fire’s active edge. Generally done in the case of a Fire Preparedness: all activities undertaken in advance of fast-spreading or high-intensity fire and to utilise natural or an incident to decrease the impact, extent and severity of the constructed firebreaks or fuelbreaks and favourable breaks incident and to ensure more effective response activities in the topography. The intervening fuel is usually backburnt; but occasionally the main fire is allowed to burn to the line, Fire Prevention: all activities concerned with minimising the depending on conditions occurrence of incidents, particular those of human origin IT: information technology Fire Recovery: the coordinated process of supporting emergency affected area in reconstruction km/hr: kilometres per hour Kw/m: kilowatts per metre

38 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Likelihood: the combination of ignition potential, suppression capabilities and fire behaviour potential Nearby Safer Place: an pre-identified area as close to your home as possible which is open area that offers some protection from radiant heat Neighbourhood Safer Place: an area identified by Tasmania Fire Service which is likely to be an open area that offers some protection from radiant heat; it should only be used as a last resort NERAG: National Emergency Risk Assessment Guide m: metre MAC: multi-agency coordinating group consisting of members from Forestry Tasmania, Tasmania Fire Service and Parks and Wildlife Service MFDR: Moorland Fire Danger Rating Pre-Suppression: activities organised in advance of fire occurrence to ensure effective suppression action and/or to minimise risk to humans and resource damage PWS: Parks and Wildlife Service Red Zone: computer software program designed to assess bushfire risk at a local scale RFDO: Regional Fire Duty Officer SDI: Soil Dryness Index SFMP: Strategic Fire Management Plan SOD: Statement Of Duties Spotting: behaviour of a fire, producing sparks or embers that are carried by the wind and start new fires beyond the zone of direct ignition by the main fire Suppression Capabilities: areas within the state where bushfire occurrences can be detected and actioned utilising existing fire management procedures and resources Surface Fire: fire that burns loose debris on the surface, which includes dead branches, leaves and low vegetation TAFI: Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fishing Institute Tanker: a mobile fire fire fighting vehicle equipped with a water tank, pump, and the necessary equipment for spraying water and/or foam on bushfires TASVEG: Tasmanian Vegetation Inventory System TFS: Tasmania Fire Service Torching: a tree (or small clump of trees) is said to candle when its foliage ignites and flares up, usually from the bottom to top V1: Version 1 Values at Risk: object or location that holds a relative value WLAT: Working , Learning and Achieving Together document Wildfire: see bushfire

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 39 Appendix 1: Fire Planning Framework, Fire Planning Policy, Parks and Wildlife Service

40 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Appendix 2: Southern Region Reserve Breakdown

Mount Rumney Conservation Area 10 Tenure Type – Conservation Area Mountain Creek Conservation Area 325 Name Area (ha) Murphys Flat Conservation Area 70 * 1644 Pelican Island Conservation Area 3 Adamsfield Conservation Area 5371 Peter Murrell Conservation Area 131 Alpha Pinnacle Conservation Area 276 Port Cynet Conservation Area 109 Boltons Beach Conservation Area 76 Ralphs Bay Conservation Area 7 Brother and Sister Conservation Area 1 Randalls Bay Conservation Area 20 Calverts Lagoon Conservation Area 69 Raspins Beach Conservation Area 5 Cape de la Sortie Conservation Area 27 Roaring Beach Conservation Area 114 Chuckle Head Conservation Area 190 Sherwood Hill Conservation Area 555 Clifton Beach Conservation Area 25 South Arm Conservation Area 746 Devils Den Conservation Area 82 Southport Lagoon Conservation Area 4320 Eaglehawk Bay–Flinders Bay 479 Conservation Area Southwest Conservation Area 182 723

Egg Islands Conservation Area 163 Spinning Gum Conservation Area 487

Fossil Cove Conservation Area 5 Strickland Conservation Area 1 897

Gordons Ridge Conservation Area 164 Surveyors Bay Conservation Area 45

Gravelly Ridge Conservation Area 2 294 Table Mountain Conservation Area 284

Harry Walker Conservation Area 498 Tiger Rise Conservation Area 134

Judbury Conservation Area 100 Truganini Conservation Area 42

Lake Dulverton Conservation Area 230 Tunbridge Conservation Area 524

Little Quoin Conservation Area 289 Waddles Creek Conservation Area 413

Long Tom Conservation Area 20 Wedge Island Conservation Area 44

Millingtons Beach Conservation Area 19 White Kangaroo Conservation Area 28

Molesworth Conservation Area 76 Woodbridge Hill Conservation Area 217

Mount Bethune Conservation Area 348 Yarlington Conservation Area 68

Mount Direction Conservation Area 698 Un-named Conservation Area 20 211

Mount Faulkner Conservation Area 465

Mount Royal Conservation Area 130

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 41 Tenure Type – Game Reserve Tenure Type – National Park

Name Area (ha) Area Name (ha) Bruny Island Game Reserve 2127 Hartz Mountain National Park 7 142 Lake Tiberias Game Reserve 993 Maria Island National Park 11 487 Actaeon Island Game Reserve 36 Mount Field National Park 15 721

South Bruny National Park 15 632 Tenure Type – Historic Site Southwest National Park 618 356 Name Area (ha) Tasman National Park 19 178 Callington Mill Historic Site 0..5 Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park 444 979 Cemetery Point Historic Site 0.8 Tenure Type – Nature Recreation Area Coal Mines Historic Site 222

Area D’Entrecasteaux Monument Historic Site 0.6 Name (ha) D’Entrecasteaux Watering Historic Site 2 Gordons Hill Nature Recreation Area 37 Eaglehawk Neck Historic Site 16 Hope Island Nature Recreation Area 31 Female Factory Historic Site 0.3 Knopwood Hill Nature Recreation Area 39 George III Monument Historic Site 14 Meehan Range Nature Recreation Area 913 Kangroo Bluff Historic Site 3 Pirates Bay Nature Recreation Area 46 Old Trinity Church–Criminal Courts 0.2 Historic Site Recherche Bay Nature Recreation Area 478

Port Arthur Historic Site 147 Rosny Hill Nature Recreation Area 21

Premaydena Point Historic Site 2 Snug Tiers Nature Recreation Area 5571

Richmond Gaol Historic Site 0.8 South Arm Nature Recreation Area 68

Shot Tower Historic Site 3 Coningham Nature Recreation Area 491

Tasman Monument Historic Site 0.1 Tenure Type – Nature Reserve Toll House Historic Site 0.1

Batchelors Grave Historic Site 0.1 Area Name (ha)

Andersons Nature Reserve 403

Basin Nature Reserve 24

Betsey Island Nature Reserve 176

Calverts Hill Nature Reserve 71

Cape Bernier Nature Reserve 1536

42 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Tenure Type – Protected Area Cape Deslacs Nature Reserve 88

Coal River Gorge Nature Reserve 211 Name Area (ha)

Dennes Hill Nature Reserve 92 Seven Mile Beach Protected Area 1384

Dickinsons Nature Reserve 68 Tenure Type – State Recreation Area Duckholes Lagoon Nature Reserve 30

Elderslie Nature Reserve 101 Name Area (ha)

Green Island Nature Reserve 7 Meehan Range State Recreation Area 384

Hardys Hill Nature Reserve 41 Tenure Type – State Reserves Heathy Hills Nature Reserve 189

Hospital Creek Nature Reserve 24 Name Area (ha)

Huntingdon Nature Reserve 54 Derwent Cliffs State Reserve 5

IIe Des Phoques Nature Reserve 8 Eaglehawk Bay State Reserve 34

Ironpot Nature Reserve 905 East Risdon State Reserve 88

Isle of Caves Nature Reserve 2 Echo Sugarloaf State Reserve 121

Lachlan Island Nature Reserve 5 Hastings Cave State Reserve 122

Ninepin Point Nature Reserve 62 Ida Bay State Reserve 436

Pelham Nature Reserve 49 Iron Pot State Reserve 2

Pelham North Nature Reserve 67 Junee Cave State Reserve 22

Pelham West Nature Reserve 294 Lime Bay State Reserve 1508

Pitt Water Nature Reserve 811 Marriotts Falls State Reserve 128

Rocka Rivulet Nature Reserve 258 Mount Arthur State Reserve 4

Spectacle Nature Reserve 8 Palmers Lookout State Reserve 0.8

Tinderbox Marine Nature Reserve 60 Peter Murrell State Reserve 135

Tinderbox Nature Reserve 72 Quarantine Station State Reserve 131

Township Lagoon Nature Reserve 17 Safety Cove State Reserve 24

Woodvine Nature Reserve 375 Stewarts Bay State Reserve 84

Africa Gully Nature Reserve 29 Tessellated Pavement State Reserve 3

Three Thumbs State Reserve 3119

Waterfall Creek State Reserve 36

Dart Island State Reserve 16

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 43 Appendix 3A: Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Flow Diagram – Ignition Potential

Likelihood

Ignition Potential

Historical Lightning BOM Professional Fire Records Probability Observation

Optical Fires (PWS-FT) Transient 1966-2009 Detector

Fires (TFS) Strike Data 2006–2007 1998-2009 Fire Season

44 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Appendix 3B: Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Flow Diagram – Suppression Capabilities

Likelihood

Supression Capabilities

Optimum Bucketing Detection Ground Attack Rotary Wing Capabilities Capabilities Coverage Attack Coverage

Hydrology Fire Towers PWS Bases PWS Bases – Large River/Lakes

Water Sources TFS Brigade Bases TFS Base (FT/Gunns) Spotter Flights

Commercial Fixed Wing Routes

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 45 Consequences

Appendix 3C: Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Flow Diagram – Values at Risk Values at Risk

Forest/Agriculture Natural Values Constructed Values Values

Production Forest Flora Values PWS–IMS Value Classes

Neighbour Research Monitoring Fauna Values

Wildland Urban Interface Agriculture Production Geo-Morphic

High Life Risk Water Catchment

Multi Occupancy Ramsar Sites

Businesses

Single Occupancy

Infrastructre

Critical Infrastructure

Burnable/Replaceable Infrastructre

Heritage Buildings

Non-Burnable

46 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Appendix 3D: Bushfire Risk Assessment Model Flow Diagram – Fire Behaviour Potential

Likelihood

Fire Behaviour Potential

Head Fire Fuel Flammability Slope Factor Intensity Grid Grid

90 Weather Percentile

Fuel Group

Rate of Spread

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 47 Appendix 4: Consequence Table

48 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Appendix 5: State Fire Commission Statement Policy

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 49 Appendix 6: Infrastructure Development

Telstra Communication Tower – Wayatinah

Boardwalk damage

50 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Appendix 7: Daily Fire Action Plan

PWS Region? Region Daily Fire Action Plan Date: ? Duty Officer: Name and duty officer contact number Situation:

Permit period? (yes/no)

Current fires in region

Staff deployments

General weather conditions / SDI

Recent trouble spots

Campgrounds with recent illegal fires

Likelihood of fire escapes

PRMs, Snr Rangers or Rangers In Charge or delegate — please instruct staff to:

Action Details provide details appropriate to the fire weather forecast

Carry PPE

No of slip on units ready / field centre

Staff rostered on / FDA

Walking track closures

Reserve closures

Monitor weather if conducting hot works*

No hot works*

Reserve fire restrictions

Total Fire Ban

1st response IMT nominated

* Hot work includes the use of grinders, welders, brush cutters, chainsaws, earth moving equipment and other tools and equipment likely to create sparks.

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 51 Fire Weather Forecast: Cut and paste in the regions section of the BOM fire weather forecast like the example below:

IDT13130 (list any specific instructions) Bureau of Meteorology, HOBART Fire Weather Forecast Issued at 3:47pm on Friday the 27th of March 2009 valid for Saturday 28/03/09 ------|------|------|------|---- | Rain mm | Max Wind km/hr | Fire Danger Index|Drgt Station | 24hr 6hr|Temp RH% Dir Spd Dew | Forest Scrb Moor |Fact ------|------|------|------|---- Tunnack | 0.0 0.0| 24 25 NW 25 3 | H15 N/A N/A | 7 ------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|---- Hobart Apt | 0.0 0.0| 26 24 NNW 30 4 | VH24 N/A N/A | 9 Hobart City | 0.0 0.0| 26 24 NNW 30 4 | VH24 N/A N/A | 9 Mt Wellington | 0.0 0.0| 15 33 WNW 65 -1 | H15 H17 VH35 | 5 Geeveston | 0.0 0.0| 25 28 NW 30 5 | H16 H23 H13 | 7 All patrols Dover | 0.0 0.0| 24 31 NW 30 6 | H14 H23 H13 | 7 Moogara | 0.0 0.0| 22 29 WNW 25 3 | H12 H19 N/A | 7 to maintain Palmers Lookout| 0.0 0.0| 23 36 NW 20 7 | M8 M10 N/A | 6 Communication ------|------|------|------|---- Ouse | 0.0 0.0| 27 23 WNW 30 4 | VH28 N/A N/A | 10 Plan: Bushy Park | 0.0 0.0| 27 23 WNW 30 4 | VH25 N/A N/A | 9 Maydena | 0.0 0.0| 24 31 W 20 6 | M11 H14 M8 | 7 • Patrol supervisor Low Rocky Point| 0.5 0.0| 20 53 NNW 55 10 | N/A N/A H12 | 9 Scotts Peak | 0.5 0.0| 23 33 NNW 45 6 | H12 M10 M10 | 5 FOO? ------|------|------|------|---- • Radio channels to SITUATION: A ridge of high pressure over Victoria will move over the Tasman Sea tomorrow bringing a moderate to fresh northwest stream. An approaching trough use and cold front to cross the state from the southwest on Sunday with a moderate • Comms southeast stream to develop on Monday as a high passes to the south of the state. Moderate easterlies on Tuesday as the high moves away to our southeast. instructions, eg call hourly WEATHER SUMMARY: Patchy drizzle tomorrow in the west, mostly clearing during the day. Fine elsewhere. Mild to warm with moderate to fresh northwest winds, locally strong in the southwest but lighter in the east. Haines Index 5 High 1500m Temp= 13 1500m Dewpoint= -4 Fairly Dry

Region? IMT – First Response:

Position Name Mobile Backup

Incident Controller Operations Logistics Planning Air Base Manager Safety Advisor Div Com 1 Helicopters: Crew deployment for Date?

Patrol Deploy Return PRM Location Unit Staff Instructions Map Time Time Contact

Patrol: Joe Bloggs Ima Field Centre P25 1 0800 1800 Normal works + Fire Patrol Fred Nerk Nickanoff 1, Mt Field and Mt Bethune

52 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 Appendix 8: Fire History Southern Region

(list any specific instructions)

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 53 Appendix 9: Register of Un-resourced Strategies

State Responsibilities

Section Strategy Type Action

development of fire awareness presentations Education Prevention development of emergency response plans

Engineering assessment of private infrastructure on PWS tenure

develop a process to utilise non-fire-active PWS and non-PWS staff in non-combatant roles Preparedness Resourcing develop infrastructure protection unit component for light tanker

development of fire rehabilitation guideline Recovery Fire Restoration development of Bushfire Rehabilitation Response Plan process

determine options for accurate mapping of landscape bushfires

Reporting Resourcing determine a method to assess the negative impact caused by bushfires to the inappropriate sequencing of fire regimes on vegetation communites

Region Responsibilities

Section Strategy Type Action

inventory and classification of water source locations Prevention Engineering campfire and sign strategy

develop a detection plan Planning development of pre-suppression plans Preparedness

develop a process to assess annual resource requirements Resourcing

54 Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 w

Contact details Fire Management Section Parks and Wildlife Service GPO Box 1751, Hobart Tasmania 7001

Contact details

Fire Management Section

Parks and Wildlife Service

GPO Box 1751

Hobart , Tasmania 7001

Southern Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, June 2011 55