JANUARYMAY 2011 2012 DraftNorthwest Northwest Region Region Strategic Strategic FireFire ManagementManagement PlanPlan Northwest Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, January 2012 1 Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment Northwest 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 © Copyright State of Tasmania, 2012 ISBN: 978-0-7246-6633-1 Title: Northwest Region Strategic Fire Management Plan Publisher/Place: Dept. Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment – Hobart Publication Date: January 2012 Contents Strategic Plan 2008–2010 Statement ........................................................3 1. Strategic Fire Management Planning 4. Fire Prevention 1.1 Approach ...........................................................................................................3 4.1 Context ...........................................................................................................19 1.2 Project Charter ..............................................................................................3 4.2 Objective ........................................................................................................19 1.3 Objectives .........................................................................................................4 4.3 Strategies and Actions .............................................................................19 1.4 Development of the Strategic Fire Management Plan 5. Preparedness 1.4.1 Project Outputs ............................................................................4 5.1 Context ...........................................................................................................27 1.4.2 Project Scope .................................................................................4 5.2 Objective ........................................................................................................27 1.5 Fire Management for PWS in Tasmania ...........................................6 5.3 Strategies and Actions .............................................................................27 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 ...........................................................................................................29 6.2 Objective ........................................................................................................29 2. Northwest Region 6.3 Strategies and Actions .............................................................................29 2.1 Background ........................................................................................................8 2.2 Area Description ............................................................................................8 7. Recovery – Restoration 2.3 Fire History 7.1 Context ...........................................................................................................32 2.3.1 Fire Regime ...................................................................................10 7.2 Objective ........................................................................................................32 2.3.2 Fire Frequency ............................................................................11 7.3 Strategies and Actions .............................................................................32 2.3.3 Fire Cycle .......................................................................................11 8. Standards, Monitoring and Reporting 2.3.4 Fire Size ...........................................................................................11 8.1 Context ...........................................................................................................33 2.3.5 Fire Intensity .................................................................................12 8.2 Objective ........................................................................................................33 2.3.6 Fire Type ..........................................................................................12 8.3 Strategies and Actions .............................................................................33 2.4 Fire Environment 2.4.1. Climate and Weather .............................................................13 9. Resource Requirements 2.5. Values at Risk ................................................................................................14 9.1 Management of the Strategic Fire Management Plan ...........35 2.5.1 Constructed Values ..................................................................14 9.2 Implementation of the Strategic Fire Management Plan 2.5.2 Forest/Agriculture Values ......................................................14 ........................................................................................................................................35 2.5.3 Natural Values ..............................................................................14 10. Reference Documents ..............................................36 2.6 Vegetation Type ............................................................................................15 11. Glossary and Abbreviations ...........................37 3. Bushfire Risk Assessment Model ALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY PWS STAFF 3.1 Bushfire Risk Assessment Process ....................................................15 3.2 Regional BRAM Outputs 3.2.1 Ignition Potential ........................................................................15 3.2.2 Suppression Capabilities ........................................................15 3.2.3 Values at Risk ................................................................................15 3.2.4 Fire Behaviour Potential .........................................................16 3.3 Bushfire Risk Analysis ...............................................................................16 Northwest Region Strategic Fire Management Plan, January 2012 1 Lists of Appendices and Maps FIGURE 1: Risk Management Process Overview ...................................................4 Appendix 8: Fire History Northwest Region ...................................................51 Figure 2: Map of Council Boundaries with Southern Region ......................8 Appendix 9: Register of Un-resourced Strategies..................... .....................52 Figure 3: Map of Lend Tenure ........................................................................................9 Appendix 10: State Area Burned in Percentage/Sensitivity .........................53 Figure 4: Statewide Total Area Burned/Decade ................................................10 Figure 5A: Northwest Region – Percent Area Burn by MAP 1: Constructed Values .......................................................................................54 Sensitivity Class 1980s decade ...............................................................11 Map 2: Forest/Agriculture ..........................................................................................55 Figure 5B: Northwest Region – Percent Area Burn by Map 3: Natural Values ..................................................................................................56 Sensitivity Class 1990s decade ...............................................................11 Map 4: Flammability ......................................................................................................57 Figure 5C: Northwest Region – Percent Area Burn by Sensitivity Class 2000s decade ...............................................................11 Map 5: Fuel Group ........................................................................................................58 Figure 6: Northwest Region: Fire Size Distribution/Decade .....................12 Map 6: Ignition Potential .............................................................................................59 Figure 7A: Percentage of Fire Occurrence by Cause Map 7: Suppression Capabilities ............................................................................60 in Northwest Region 1981–2010 ........................................................12 Map 8: Values at Risk ....................................................................................................61 Figure 7B: Percentage of Fire Occurrence by Cause Map 9: Fire Behaviour ..................................................................................................62 in Northwest Region 2001–2010 ........................................................12 Map 10: Likelihood ...........................................................................................................63 Figure 8: Lightning Caused Fires – Area Burned by Decade ....................12 Map 11: Consequence ...................................................................................................64 Figure 9: Peggs Beach Conservation Area – Campfire Structure ..........20 Map 12: Final Risk Grid ..................................................................................................65 Figure 10A: Neighbourhood Community – Rocky Cape ................................21