Friday 7th November 2008
The conference was held at the Laharum Recreation Reserve. It began at 9:30am with the gathering of approximately 100 representatives of DSE, PV, local government, CFA, SES, Police, Advisory Committee, FOGG and GAP.
After a briefing by Geoff Evans we set off in convoy on a tour of the Northern part of the Park visiting sites of recent fire activities.
Travelling along Roses Gap Rd., our first stop was at a reinstated fire break (created during the 2006 fire). Here, fallen timbers had been selectively placed over the clearing. Significant regrowth was observed including many young Acacia longifolia plants. We moved on past Carters Track the site of a fuel reduction burn that was only partly completed in 2008 and scheduled for further burning.
Further along Roses Gap Rd., we stopped at the site of a deliberately lit fire in 2006. Here, Jill Read, the Fire and Environment Program Officer for Parks Victoria, spoke about the role of fire ecology strategy in the management of fire in the Grampians.
Continuing our tour, we passed by forest severely burnt during the 1999 fire and noted the recovery of vegetation and the effects of drought.
After Roses Gap, we turned into Mt. Zero Rd. stopping at Crutes Track, the site of a prescribed burn in 2008. From there, we travelled to Flat Rock Rd., an area affected by the Mt. Zero fire of 1984. We then looked at regrowth at a site that had been subjected to heavy bulldozing twenty years previously. Geoff commented on the degree of vegetation recovery. We then moved on to the site of a small fire that resulted from a lightning strike. Here, a quick response managed to limit the area affected by fire.
Finally, we stopped behind Mt. Zero where a fuel reduction burn was conducted in the Autumn of 2008. Even though the fire was light at 6:oopm, the burn created some concern as a number of mature trees were badly burnt. A commentary by Graham Parkes describing the work done was cut short by rain. We returned to the Laharum Recreation Reserve for lunch
The afternoon meeting included reports from the various emergency services.
CFA brigades reported on the degree of dryness of the country and the availability of water across the region. SES and police talked about suspicious fires and the management of road closures.
Prue Daly spoke of the need to keep the tourist industry informed of developments. Mike Stevens presented his research into the affects of severe wildfire on small mammals. Geoff Evans talked of the need to redo poor burns next season.
In general business, there was discussion about fuel loads on small reserves and private property and the need for partnership with neighbours to properly manage fire risks. Funding of roadside burns and the role of local government were mentioned. A question was asked as to what was happening with the parliamentary enquiry into recent bushfires?
A representative of the GAP group was critical of the cancellation of a burn in the Southern Grampians. Graham Parkes explained why this needed to happen, and the importance of the different zones. There was also some criticism of CMAs for their encouragement of farmers to revegetate along roadside reserves as part of the fire recovery program.
The day ended with afternoon tea and informal discussions.
The next Grampians Fire Conference will be held in CFA Region 5 in 2009
John Fisher