From: To: Subject: Fw: Fire Threat..Jarrahdale Township Date: Thursday, 10 March 2011 4:42:19 PM Attachments: tony simpson fire threat.doc ATTENTION:MICK KEELTY APM:PERTH HILLS FIRE REVIEW Dear Mick and team,enclosed is a copy of a letter sent to Tony Simpson Darling Range MP who may also address this issue with you.Whilst my letter is addressed to Tony the context is also relevent for inclusion with your review.Inaddition to the comments made in my letter i would also like to add my concern with extreme green views held by some shires especially Serpentine Jarrahdale which insists on indigenous tree species being planted in virtually all subdivisions and then block most applications for tree removal.Indigenous tree species in built up areas (redgums ,jarrahs) are not only a fire threat but also tend to fall on peole and homes.I have an extreme example available where western power issued a request to have a massive tree on my 970sm residential block severly cut back as it was a threat to power lines and adjoining properties.I approached the shire of SJ who insisted on an inspection to identify the tree and then insisted because it was a indigenous WANDOO their regulations required i also obtained a full report from a tree arborist all at my expense regardless of western powers safety concerns.The total cost of eventually removing this tree and obtaining final consent took approx $4000 AND 5MONTHS.Whilst these types of extreme rules and regulations exist very few people will apply to have fire and safety threatening trees removed!!!Hope you can gain some worthwhile contribution from my comments. Best wishes Ron Iannello. PS:NON INDIGEOUS TREES SUCH AS PLANE TREES ,LIQUID AMBERS ETC ARE NON INFLAMABLE AND PROVIDE SHADE IN SUMMER AND LIGHT IN WINTER AND ARE IDEAL IN BUILT UP AREAS.THEIR LEAVES DECOMPOSE RAPIDLY IN AUTUMN AND ARE NOT A FIRE HAZARD LIKE GUM LEAVES WHICH TAKE YEARS TO DECOMPOSE AND SUPPRESS SMALL NATIVE FLOWERING PLANTS. ----- Original Message ----- HFrom: To: Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2011 4:14 PM Subject: Fire Threat..Jarrhdale Township Hi Tony, please see attached letter. Regards Ron Iannello Ron Iannello Tony Simpson Dear Tony JARRAHDALE TOWNSHIP – FIRE THREAT I hope you are keeping well. You may recall my note to you dated 22/8/09 expressing my concern of a severe firestorm in the Hills and the need for more prescribed burning. Thankfully CALM did carry out a significant burn off in Jarrahdale last year which reduced the 20 years of leaf and debris buildup. It is a mystery however that the most vulnerable sections of the national park that surrounds the township were not burnt off and continue to pose a threat. A fire in the Gooralong area, fanned by a westerly breeze would create a massive fireball which could wipe out the whole Jarrahdale Township. The main areas of concern are:- 1. The National Park & Shire reserve North of Chestnut Estate & the Cemetery 2. The National Park (Gooralong Reserve) west of Chestnut Estate 3. The state forest (east of Chestnut Estate & south of Primary School) 4. Heritage Park (national Trust land) immediately north of Jarrahdale Township Generally the Jarrahdale Township is surrounded by neglected forest & bush areas with decades of leaf matter and debris buildup. Combine this threat with the absence of adequate water reserves and water pressure and we have a looming disaster. I am happy to co-operate with various authorities participating in any prescribed burn off by providing access to my water/creek reserves as well as access to the National Park (via Tracey’s Trail) from my block I would recommend a meeting be held with the Jarrahdale community & fire authority to discuss fuel reduction, preventative action & evacuation procedures. Would you also approach CALM and request that they undertake a burn off this coming year in the designated areas mentioned. Hoping you can assist. Yours sincerely Ron Iannello Ps do you have any information as to what immediate action the Water Authority is undertaking to address the dismal water & pressure supplies in Jarrahdale? Submission to the Perth Hills Bushfire February 2011 Review Submissions should be submitted electronically (preferred) to: or posted to: Perth Hills Bushfire February 2011 Review Locked Bag 10, Cloisters Square PERTH WA 6850 Note: All submissions received will be made available on the Inquiry’s website. People wishing to make a confidential submission should make this clear at the time of lodgement and the Inquiry will not publish those submissions. However, people should be aware that whilst every endeavour will be made to ensure confidentiality, there is a possibility that such submissions might be released in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1992. Contact Details Name: Rob Phillips Address: Email address: Telephone number: Organisation Details (Where Applicable) Is this submission presented on behalf of an organisation: No If yes, name of organisation: Position in organisation: Response to Terms of Reference You must address at least one of the Terms of Reference. 4 & 5 1. The adequacy of current preventative measures, specifically prescribed burning and other bushfire mitigation activities. 2. The impact of land use, environmental and building laws, practices and policies in the affected areas, affecting bushfire prevention, mitigation and response and what, if any, changes may be required. 3. The actions that can and should be taken by landowners, residents and tenants in relation to bushfire risk management including undertaking vegetation clearance, operation of evaporative air-conditioners and storage and/or removal of hazardous inflammable material surrounding their dwellings and buildings. This should include consideration of associated enforcement regimes and penalties. 4. The adequacy and effectiveness of information and communication campaigns and mechanisms, including systems for alerting residents in relation to the fire or potential fires. See below 5. Improvements that can be made in relation to the coordination of activities across all levels of government, including with volunteer groups. I sent the following email to ABC corporate affairs and to FESA on the afternoon of 6 February, before the ABC started rolling coverage of the fires. I received acknowledgement from FESA that the matter would be raised with the ABC. I raise it again here so it can receive public scrutiny. ===== To whom it may concern in the ABC(WA) and FESA I'd like to point out a potentially dangerous consequence of the way that the ABC broadcasts FESA bushfire alerts. Today (Sun Feb 6) the ABC has been interrupting programming at regular intervals (20 or 30 mins) to read out FESA alerts. I have been listening to the ABC for most of the day, and the alerts for the Brigadoon fire has been almost unchanged. The repeated warnings say you need to leave immediately. However, since the warnings are repeated, people who don't hear the first warning could leave too late with dire consequences. The Roleystone warning was even worse. It has now been updated, but the first warning said that people had 20 mins to leave. Unfortunately, this warning was read out twice more at 20-30min intervals, so the ABC was actually advising people to leave after it wasn't safe to do so. Either FESA has to communicate more often with the ABC, or ABC staff have to use more judgement about what they read out. Also, why doesn't the ABC broadcast anything about the consequences of the fires, and update on their progress. i.e. News Finally, the FESA alerts say that they will be updated hourly, but I am pretty certain this did not happen with the Brigadoon fire. Hopefully, you can address this issue seriously, before someone gets killed. Regards Rob Website excerpts EMERGENCY WARNING for south western part of Roleystone and south eastern part of Kelmscott in the City of Armadale Sunday 6 February 2011 – 2:45 PM ALERT LEVEL: Bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING for south western part of Roleystone and south eastern part of Kelmscott in the City of Armadale. Homes will be impacted by fire: Roleystone between Chevin Road, Coventary Road, Urch Road, Peet Road, Brookton Highway, Old Coach Place. Kelmscott between Stocker Road, Scott Road, Lang Street, Balgor Court, Kundyl Court, Narrik Court, Labyrinth Close, Patterson Road, Brookton Highway, Albany Highway, Turner Place, Brookside Avenue, Connell Avenue and Turner Road. There is a threat to lives and homes. You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. Bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING for Brigadoon, Baskerville, Millendon, Red Hill and Herne Hill in the City of Swan Sunday 6 February 2011 – 1:50 PM ALERT LEVEL: A bushfire EMERGENCY WARNING has been issued for people in Brigadoon, Baskerville, Millendon, Red Hill and Herne Hill in the City of Swan. Homes in the area between William Street to Railway Parade in Herne Hill, north to Haddrill Road in Baskerville, east to Weir Road, Abraham Close, Range Road in Baskerville and south to Range Road and MacHam Road in Millendon and Symosa Road in Herne Hill will be impacted by fire. WHAT TO DO: If you have not left yet and the way is clear, leave immediately for a safer place and take your survival kit with you. If you have not prepared your home, it is too late to do it now, your safest option is to leave. Updates will be provided hourly unless the situation changes. Submission to the Perth Hills Bushfire February 2011 Review Submissions should be submitted electronically (preferred) to: or posted to: Perth Hills Bushfire February 2011 Review Locked Bag 10, Cloisters Square PERTH WA 6850 Note: All submissions received will be made available on the Inquiry’s website.