Otway Ranges Environment Network

 

 
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Fire suppression strategies used in the Otways


Otways fire suppression strategies.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment(DSE) has been building fire control lines and conducting fuel reduction burns in the Otways. (See pdf's below)

Over the last few years, extensive fire control work was conducted behind Lorne. The strategy is to create a massive firebreak to stop a fire burning from one end off the Otways to the other.  In 2007, fire control lines were  constructed at Garvey, Sharps and Delaney roads. Then in Autumn 2008, an area well over 1000 ha was control burned to remove fuel loads in the Delaneys area. To fully implement the fire suppression strategy more control burns are  planned when it is safe to do so.

The Otway fire suppression work to date has occurred in consultation with the broad community including environment groups. This includes field trips organised by the DSE. Many members of the  Otway Ranges Environment Network live in the Otways and want to see the forest made as fire safe as possible.

It is important to note that control burns and fire breaks will not stop the sort off inferno that happened on Black Saturday when an extreme fire event was crowning (burning through trees tops) and spotting(wind blowing burning embers to start new spot fires up to 20 km ahead off the main fire front).

See DSE Otway Fire Protection Enhancement Project. This discusses the design off a massive fire break in the Otways.

See DSE Otway fire breaks map.

See DSE Otway Fire District Approved Fire Operations Plan 2008/09 to 2010/11. This shows where control burns have occured and are planned when safe to do so.

Clearfell logging and wildfire in Otway catchments

  1. Logging Practices increase the risk of bushfires in water supply catchments. More info.

  2. Fire Occurrence in Otway Catchments. More info.

  3. Serious forest fires in the Otways are started by careless logging practices. More info.

  4. The risk of wildfire destroying rainforest is increased by myrtle wilt and clearfell logging. More info.

 
 
   
 
 

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