Reef Catchments is pleased to announce the official release of the Best Practice Fire Management Guidelines for the Central Queensland Coast.
The guidelines are the work of the Clarke Connors Bushfire Consortium, which is as a partnership between Reef Catchments, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service - Rural Operations and volunteer rural fire brigades, with the support of both the Federal and Queensland
Governments.
Reef Catchments Operations Manager Derek Ball said experienced land managers know that we must accept fire as a natural part of managing rural landscapes.
“The bushfires in Victoria earlier this year highlighted the importance of effective fire management and planning,” Mr Ball said.
“The Best Practice Fire Management Guidelines being released today provide a summary of the best available information, and the extensive experience of volunteer rural fire brigades in the region.
“The guidelines are a fantastic resource and will help landowners and rural fire brigades to better plan controlled burns and better manage fuel loads before a wildfire occurs.”
Developed in consultation with local landowners, rural fire officers and ecologists, the guidelines outline fire management strategies for the 12 most common landscape types across the Central Queensland Coast.
“During the development process, volunteer rural fire brigades also helped us to identify some of the highest priority areas for fire management on the Clarke Connors Range,” Mr Ball said.
“This resulted in Reef Catchments funding a 10km control line across the top of Eton Range, which will offer protection from encroaching fire to sixty landowners and three rural brigade areas.”
For a copy of the Best Practice Fire Management Guidelines visit Reef Catchments at 172 Victoria Street, Mackay.
14 August 2009
