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The Great Divide Fires December 2006 – February 2007 Heyfi eld/Licola Region Self-guided Drive Suggested Itinerary During the summer of 2006/07, Victoria’s ongoing drought had contributed to conditions conducive to the outbreak of fi res. Early in summer multiple lightning strikes ignited fi res across mountains in eastern Victoria. A combination of dry conditions, high temperatures and strong winds resulted in the fi res spreading and eventually combining to form a large single fi re complex. The amalgamated fi re came to be known as the Great Divide Fire. It was to become one of Victoria’s largest and longest lasting fi res. The initial fi res began on December 1 2006. It was not until 69 days later, on February 7 2007, that the fi res were contained within a controlled perimeter. A total of 1,116,408 hectares in the Great Dividing Range was affected by the fi re, with 677,782 hectares burnt in Gippsland. Multi-agency fi re fi ghting crews, members of the community and even personnel from Canada, New Zealand and the USA, worked tirelessly under demanding conditions to protect townships, private and public resources and agricultural assets. Introduction Stop 1: Township of Licola This self-guided drive gives visitors a chance to see the impact of The community of Licola is one of many towns that were directly the one of Victoria’s largest and longest lasting fi res – The Great threatened by the fi res. The fi re got very close to the town and Divide Fire. The drive will take you through the Heyfi eld/Licola reached many of the surrounding properties. Many fi refi ghters and Region in the southern foothills of the Great Dividing Range. This members of the community were involved in protecting the town. area was impacted heavily by the fi re and communities were on high alert for many weeks. Bushfi res can be fought directly using aircraft, tankers, and slip-on units, or indirectly by removing fuel in front of the fi re. This is done Fire is an essential part of the Australian environment. Many of by either mechanically clearing control lines with bulldozers or, our native fl ora and fauna have evolved to survive periodic fi res, where bulldozers cannot access, some plants even rely on fi re for regeneration. While you drive fi re-fi ghting crews on foot creating hand trails by removing fuel around the fi re-affected area, you will gain an appreciation of the with rakehoes – implements shaped like a rake on one side and a enormous effort put in by the people who fought the fi res, those hoe on the other. This work is physically demanding, particularly who worked to rehabilitate fi re control lines and those involved in on days when the weather is hot. helping the bush and affected communities to recover. Backburning operations are conducted to reduce the spread of fi re. Existing tracks were used as control lines and the backburns Start: Heyfi eld were either handlit from the control line to remove fuel between Heyfi eld is one of the many towns in the region that saw smoky the control line and main fi re-front, or lit from the air using aerial skies for many weeks. incendiaries. The DSE offi ce in Heyfi eld was one of the various control centres Although losses were kept to a minimum, some did occur. Losses that operated during the Great Divide Fires. The Incident throughout Gippsland included: Management Teams coordinated crews, logistics, strategic » 169 structures planning and resources to manage the fi res. » 1475 stock » 9267 hectares of agricultural land From Heyfi eld, travel along Licola Rd towards Lake » Fencing. Glenmaggie. Turn left at Glenmaggie Road, right Take the time to consider what it was like living in these isolated into The Crescent and left back onto Licola Rd. communities with a fi re approaching. People in towns threatened Travel along the road to Licola (~1 hour travel time). by the fi res had to make the decision whether they would stay and defend their homes or leave well before the fi re was near. Local radio stations and community meetings were instrumental in informing the public about the fi re situation. If people were to leave early, they needed enough time to leave the area safely without risking the effects of potentially fatal radiant heat. Figure 1: DSE fi refi ghter putting out a burning tree during a back-burning operation. A Victorian Government initiative Self-guided drive suggested itinerary Stop 1: Township of Licola (continued) Stop 3: Bennison Lookout The fi res lasted for many weeks and during the fi re event, local You can see the extent of the fi re from this view. Even after communities faced many issues: such an intense fi re event, signs of vegetation recovery are » The possibility of utilities being affected such as everywhere. This area was also previously burnt in the 1939 telecommunications, electricity and water. fi res. » Road closures and transport in and out of towns. » Local tourism was signifi cantly impacted Fire is important for the ecological health of our forests. » The need to be vigilant and alert of the threat of fi re Dormant buds under the bark of some eucalypts act as advancing towards their town. survival mechanisms. These buds respond to stressful » Prolonged periods of stress and anxiety. conditions and produce epicormic growth (new branch growth) along the trunk and upper canopy. However, From Licola, travel along Tamboritha road onto not all trees are adapted to fi re. Many of the Mountain Bennison Lookout for approximately 44 kms Ash trees you see from the lookout will not survive. (~1 hour travel time). Regeneration of ecosystems dominated by Mountain Ash will depend on the seeds that have survived in the soil. Stop 2: Tamboritha Road After a fi re event, the soil is rich in nutrients and open for light penetration to stimulate seeds under the soil and As you are travelling along Tamboritha Road, away many species begin to regenerate and establish themselves from Licola you will notice the effects of a recent fl ood. again. Along with the new regrowth, native wildlife begin Following heavy rainfall in the Licola area during mid- to recolonise the area. February to March, the Tamboritha Rd was subject to severe landslips and fl ooding. As a result of the Great Divide The bare ground not only provides conditions for native fi res, there was little vegetation and organic matter on the species but also unwanted plants. Infestations of weeds surrounding slopes to stabilise and protect the soil from can spread rapidly and out-grow the native species, possibly erosion. Various culverts along the Tamboritha road were taking over large areas. In this area the main species of blocked with large amounts of rock, soil and debris and concern are blackberry, ragwort and broom as they readily many sections of the road were completely impassable. respond to fi re. Thistles are also of concern as they invade areas disturbed by fi re due to wind dispersal. Water quality is also at risk following fi re. The removal of vegetation during a fi re exposes the soil to wind and water. Erosion may cause soil, ash and nutrients to be transported Note: the road for 2-wheel drives ends here. Return into waterways. This increases the sediment load and the back along the same route to heyfi eld. Those in turbidity of the water, and consequently lowers the water 4-wheel drives can continue along moroka road. quality, thus affecting main water supply. These impacts can For 4-wheel drives, still be seen in the turn right and travel Macalister River and along Moroka rd for the Wellington River. ~25 kms to Moroka These Rivers will River, a lovely place continue to be at risk until the plants for a picnic recover and the (~50 minutes travel protective cover is time). time). re-established. It will be a challenge over Stop 4: Moroka River the next few years to manage the sediment Note the difference in fi re levels in our rivers and intensity as you travel along Moroka Road. Fire behaviour Figure 3: Epicormic growth we will frequently see along trunk of burnt tree our rivers run dirty and is erratic and some areas are brown. more impacted by fi re than Figure 2: Flood damage others. Fire intensity can range from low intensity fi re, along the Tamboritha Road. where only the ground level is affected, to high intensity fi re that burns through both the understorey and tree canopy. Fire can cause a mosaic of patches of forest that differ in fi re intensity. These greener areas can act as refuges for wildlife and still support resources such as food and nesting sites. Figure 4: View showing mosaic of forest patches that have burnt at different fi re intensities. Continue along Moroka Road for a few kilometres Possums and other arboreal mammals move from tree to tree ahead of low intensity fi res, or seek safety in the high and turn right onto Marathon Rd and travel towards crowns and hollows of trees. However, very severe fi res will Briagolong (~1 hour, 20 minutes travel time). burn into the crown and hollows of trees and the intense The upper section of Marathon Road is 4-wheel heat may reach underground. Animals unable to move from drive only. these sites may be killed. Many insects and spiders are also killed, especially in a high Stop 5: Marathon Road intensity fi re that destroys the bark and litter layer in which Continue along Moroka Road for a few kilometres and they live.
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