Autumn planned burns to start

Aplanned burn in Little Desert National Park will kick off Forest Fire Management Victoria’s autumn planned burning program in the Wimmera district.

Wimmera acting district manager Glenn Rudolph said the Southern Break Track burn, about eight kilometres north of Goroke, would be the first of several similar burns to be carried out within the park in the next three months.

“These edge and internal break burns are conducted along the edges and within small, defined sections of the park to create strategic firebreaks,” he said.

“Like all Mallee bush landscapes, Little Desert National Park is particularly fire-prone.

“Potentially, large and intense wildfires can burn thousands of hectares and dramatically affect the vegetation and wildlife habitats.

“Edge break burning is designed to reduce fuel to lessen the spread and intensity of bushfires originating in Little Desert National Park, burning wildlife habitat and escaping into surrounding agricultural communities.”

Mr Rudolph said threatened Malleefowl, which relied on long unburnt habitat for breeding, was one species that would benefit from this type of burning. He said smoke from the Little Desert National Park burning program might be visible along the Wimmera Highway-natimuk-frances Road to the south; Nhill-yanac Roadwestern Highway to the north; and from surrounding townships such as Horsham, Dimboola, Nhill, Kaniva, Natimuk and Goroke.

“During planned burning, the safety of firefighters and the public is our highest priority,” he said.

“We take all possible precautions to ensure people do not enter areas where planned burns are occurring or where a planned burn has recently been conducted until the area is safe.

“Planned burns can only go ahead when weather conditions are suitable, so our plans may change.”

Mr Rudolph said people could visit http://www.ffm.vic.gov.au/ or call 1800 226 226 for latest information about planned burning.