2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 DRAFT FIRE OPERATIONS PLAN Benalla DSE 89 Sydney Road Benalla VIC 3672 Phone No. 03 5761 1611 GOULBURN DISTRICT Fax No. 03 5761 1628 NORTH EAST AREA 0 Goulburn District/ North East Area Draft Fire Operations Plan 2010/11 – 2012/13 The location and boundaries of proposed planned burn/worksites shown on the attached maps are only TABLE OF CONTENTS approximate and indicative. The precise boundary of any planned burn will be identified on site by DSE before operations begin. LAND AND FIRE AREA MANAGER’S FOREWORD 2 2 GOULBURN FIRE OPERATIONS PLAN SUMMARY OF DISTRICT ACTIVITIES - 2009/10 3 3 BUSHFIRES – 2009/10 PLANNED BURNING ACHIEVEMENTS – 2009/10 3 PREPARATION OF A FIRE OPERATIONS PLAN 4 SCHEDULE 1: PLANNED BURNS 5 18 SCHEDULE 2: LANDSCAPE MOSAIC BURNS SCHEDULE 3: STRATEGIC FUELBREAKS 18 Published by the Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment Melbourne, 30th July 2010 SCHEDULE 4: NON-BURNING FUEL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 19 © The State of Victoria Department of Sustainability and Environment 2010 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 . SCHEDULE 5: FIRE ACCESS ROAD WORKS 19 Authorised by the Victorian Government, 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne 19 SCHEDULE 6: FIRE INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT ISBN 978-1-74242-726-3 (online) 20 For more information contact the DSE Customer Service Centre 136 186. SCHEDULE 7: OTHER FIRE PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. www.dse.vic.gov.au 1 Goulburn District/North East Area Draft Fire Operations Plan 2010/11 – 2012/13 Land and Fire Area Manager’s Foreword Goulburn Fire Operations Plan During an average summer, around six hundred bushfires occur on public land across This document contains the fire prevention and preparedness works to be delivered Victoria. As seen over the past decade, intense bushfires across the landscape can for the period 2010/11 to 2012/13 within the Goulburn District. have huge impacts on the environment (plants and animals) and be devastating to This Plan covers all Public land including all national parks, State parks and regional communities across Victoria. parks and all State forests. Numerous other small reserves and Crown land are also To better manage the risk of bushfire, the Department of Sustainability and included. Environment (DSE) and Parks Victoria undertake fire prevention activities, such as The area covered by the Goulburn District is shown in Figure 1. planned burning, to help reduce the occurrence and impact of devastating fires such as those experienced in recent summers. The Plan is prepared, and will be implemented, in accordance with the Code of Practice for Fire Management on Public Land, the Fire Operations Planning Manual DSE and Parks Victoria also use planned fire for ecological purposes. Many of 2.1 and other relevant DSE Instructions, Manuals and Guidelines. Victoria’s plants and animals have evolved to survive fire events, and are reliant on bushfire to regenerate and maintain their health. In particular, biodiversity is It delivers the strategy outlined in the Ovens, Upper Murray & Goulburn Fire dependent on appropriate fire regimes (fire intensity, frequency, season, extent and Protection Plan 2003 type). It should be noted that burns associated with logging regeneration and small heap Each year, the DSE prepares Fire Operations Plans for Public land in Victoria. These burn offs are not included in the Fire Operation Planning process. The locations of Plans outline proposed fuel management and ecological burns, and other fire strategic fuelbreaks are also included for information only. These activities are protection and preparedness works for public land managed by DSE and Parks approved via other DSE and Parks Victoria processes. Victoria. Figure 1: Goulburn District map The three-year rolling Plans contain: • A list and map(s) of proposed planned burns; • Details of fire preparedness works, such as the construction and maintenance of strategic fuel and fire breaks, mechanical fuel management works planned for the immediate twelve-month period; and • A summary of other fire preparedness and prevention-related works such as maintenance of fire towers or helipads, training and education and enforcement activities. A Fire Operations Plan is prepared for each District in the North East Area in consultation with communities, local councils, Parks Victoria, CFA and technical specialists within DSE. I encourage your input into this Fire Operations Plan. Peter Farrell, North East Land and Fire Area 2 Goulburn District/ North East Area Draft Fire Operations Plan 2010/11 – 2012/13 Viewing the Fire Operations Plan Summary of District Activities - 2009/10 Bushfires – 2009/10 Office locations for viewing the Plan: Below average rainfall last year and in previous years resulted in a strong underlying The Plan can be viewed during normal business hours at the following locations: dryness, and if conditions were suitable and a source of ignition did eventuate fires Location Address could have been large and difficult to control. Benalla 89 Sydney Road 85% of all fires this year were brought under control before they reached a size of Mansfield 128 Highett Street five hectares, which is a good measure of the success of first attack efforts under Shepparton 195 Numurkah Street relentless and very trying conditions. Wangaratta Cnr Ford & Ovens Street Fortunately, it was a fairly quiet fire season within Goulburn District impacting only 22ha on public land. The majority of our incidents were as a result of unattended Viewing the Plan online: camp fires or deliberate ignitions predominantly within the lower Goulburn District. You can also view proposed planned burns in the Plan online through: • An online interactive map. Go to DSE’s website at www.dse.vic.gov.au , Staff within the District were particularly busy with heightened levels of select Interactive Maps then select Fireplan . preparedness on severe to ensure rapid response in the event of an incident • Downloadable maps and planned burn lists at www.dse.vic.gov.au/burns , occurring. select Fire Operations Plans then select View Proposed Plans . Planned burning achievements – 2009/10 District Contact Details Spring 2009; Planned burning in spring 2009 focused on 6 small fuel reduction and All comments and suggestions about the Plan should be sent in writing, using the ecological burns, treating 136ha – down on the number and area conducted during FOP Feedback form, to: the previous season. This can be largely attributed to the early onset of the fire season. Fire risk mitigation measures such as slashing were undertaken around the Caitlin Cruikshank townships of Woods Point, Matlock, Macs Cove, Sawmill Settlement, Goughs Bay, Jamieson and Barmah, and around other areas with significant assets. Fire Planning Coordinator 89 Sydney Road Following the release of the new Pre-formed IMT Standard Operating Procedure, Benalla VIC 3672 Goulburn District staff were heavily involved in the broader North East Area accounting for 204 of 444 State-wide Pre-formed IMTs. Comments may also be sent by email to [email protected] . Autumn 2010: Rain early in February shifted the focus for staff to an earlier than usual autumn burning season. In total, 24 ecological, heap and fuel reduction planned burns were conducted during 2009/10, treating 2,383.93 hectares. Of the 24 burns undertaken, over 60% treated area was achieved which is an excellent achievement considering our burning commitments in other high priority parts of the State, mainly in the Otway Ranges and East Gippsland. Goulburn District targeted areas within the District such as the Warby and Strathbogie Ranges, and the Shepparton area. 3 Goulburn District/ North East Area Draft Fire Operations Plan 2010/11 – 2012/13 Preparation of a Fire Operations Plan How to read this document Distance – the maximum length of the work site The development of a District Fire Operations Plan measured in kilometres (km), including areas The Fire Operation Plan consists of a number of involves the nomination of planned burns and other specifically excluded from disturbance. schedules and maps. works by DSE, Parks Victoria and other interested Firebreak – any natural or constructed discontinuity in stakeholders. Schedule 1 lists planned fuel reduction, ecological and fuel that may be used to segregate, stop or control other planned burns. the spread of a bushfire, or to provide a fire control Development of the Plan considers: line from which to suppress a fire. Schedule 2 lists landscape mosaic burns Fuel Management Zone (FMZ) – an area of land upon • relevant legislation and Departmental policies which fire is managed for specific asset, fuel and relating to environmental and cultural heritage Schedule 3 provides an overview of strategic ecological objectives . protection, and emergency management; fuelbreaks to be constructed or maintained during Fuelbreak - a strip of land where vegetation has been • various Departmental fire instructions and 2010/11 and includes details of future fuelbreak removed or modified to reduce the risk of fires guidelines, particularly the Fire Operations locations. starting and/or to reduce the rate of spread and Planning Manual 2.1; Schedule 4 lists the non-burning fuel management intensity of any fire that may occur in or enter the • relevant Fire Protection/Fire Management Plans; program such as slashing, pruning or mulching. treated area. • the Code of Practice for Timber Production; Land Manager – the organisation responsible for day- • Schedule5 lists fire access road works. relevant Forest Management and Park to-day management of the work site.