Rethink burn targets – Comrie
Former Victorian Police Commissioner Neil Comrie who has the job of monitoring the response to the Black Saturday Royal Commission, says a target to burn 5% of Victoria’s public land every year must be reconsidered.
Neil Comrie is now saying what we have for years – DSE should instead focus on protecting high-risk fire areas immediately around towns rather than simply meeting a target.
Scientific experts have said the burn plans based on an illogical figure of 5%, targets large uninhabited areas being burnt. This is having major destructive impact on many struggling ecosystems like the mallee, woodlands in central and western Victoria, coastal areas and forests – and of course the struggling wildlife like Mallee Fowl and other rare birds. Meeting these milestones does little to protect lives and homes and in fact can make the forests and woodlands more flammable and vulnerable.
Gippsland’s National Party Minister Peter Ryan said he can see the logic of this and would consider Neil Comrie’s advice.
Read The Age article Bushfire burnoff goal ‘needs review’