Fire recovery strategy to be developed

PLANNING is under way to rehabilitate areas of Tasmania’s wilderness damaged in catastrophic bushfires last year.

In January 2016, an unprecedented lightning storm sparked a months-long bushfire that wreaked havoc in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA).

Nearly 20,000ha of TWWHA, mainly around Lake MacKenzie in the Central Highlands, was destroyed in the fire.

The State Government has called for tenders to develop and trial methods for rehabilitating the bushfire-affected areas.

“There has been a number of fires in TWWHA since the 1930s, including a 40,000ha fire at Giblin Creek in 2013, and this latest research will ensure we have the best techniques possible to both help the recovery of the area post- fire and reduce the impact of fire in the future,” state Environment Minister Elise Archer said.

“[It] will inform assessment of risks and responses to future fire impacts on fire-sensitive alpine vegetation and soils in the TWWHA.”

The project will work to fill a “a lack of alpine rehabilitation knowledge and experience within Tasmania”, the tender documents say.

“The risk of fire to fire-sen- sitive alpine vegetation and soils in Tasmania is expected to increase with climate change,” the documents said.

The project’s budget is $345,000.

The 2016 fires were unprecedented in duration and the number of firefighters and personnel needed to put them out.

The fires burnt more than 100,000ha over a two-month period, at a cost of more than $25 million.

More than 2000 New Zealand and interstate firefighters came to Tasmania’s aid, while the Australian air force was needed to bring in a detachable base camp to house them.

A vast area of soil, 85ha of pencil pine woodland and 79ha of peatland were burnt.

This vegetation contributes to the “outstanding universal value” of the TWWHA

The Government must report to the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee on actions taken to respond to the bushfires.

The risk of fire to fire-sensitive alpine vegetation and soils in Tasmania is expected to increase with climate change. GOVERNMENT TENDER

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