A Nation Charred: Report on the inquiry into bushfires

EXH.160.0060
LAND MANAGEMENT FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SEVERITY OF RECENT BUSHFIRE
DAMAGE 27
our ratepayers live on lifestyle blocks. We have what you
might call 1,400 absentee landholders … 37
Fuel load monitoring
2.50 The Committee accepts that fuel loads have reached unacceptably
high levels on certain public lands and some private landholdings. To
attempt a simplistic finger pointing exercise of comparing the fire
proneness of one tenure with others is not helpful as vegetation type,
topography, local prevailing weather conditions and other
contributing factors are complex. However, it is evident that
information on the current level of fuel loads, rates of accumulation
and strategies to maintain these loads at manageable levels is urgently
required.
2.51 Agrecon, a company committed to the commercialisation of spatial
information technology, specified the knowledge requirements in
bushfire management information systems:
querying and modelling functionality for monitoring and
rating fuel loads and moisture status throughout each season.
It should enable season specific fire risk for every individual
land parcel to be assessed by considering its position in the
landscape, seasonal weather conditions, fuel load and
condition, fire scar history, adjacent land use, flammability
and relative value of structures and materials contained
therein. 38
2.52 The Committee notes evidence that knowledge on the flammability
and bushfire risk management are being compiled in some
jurisdictions. Mr Evan Rolley of Forestry Tasmania stated:
we are each year making pretty good progress, particularly
with the GIS stuff, mapping past fire history, where the
resources are, where the risks are and having that available
now. That is getting to an online position. 39
37 Michael Green, Transcript of Evidence, 10 July 2003, p. 105.
38 Agrecon, Submission no. 462, p. 3.
39 Evan Rolley, Transcript of Evidence, 1 August 2003, p. 15.