Reference Documents - RAL22/0034

                    FPE Ref: 6176-221031-1.0



                     3.0 BUSHFIRE                  HAZARD        ASSESSMENT             –     STATE        ASSESSMENT
                               METHODOLOGY
                     3.1       GENERAL

                     The Noosa Council Bushfire hazard overlay shows the proposed southern allotment predominantly
                     mapped as a potential impact buffer area, with an area to the west and south mapped as medium potential
                     bushfire intensity. This mapping requires any lot reconfiguration application to be assessed against
                     Council’s Bushfire hazard overlay. Site-specific hazard mapping required to confirm the bushfire hazard
                     has been prepared consistent with the methodology adopted to prepare the SPP mapping.

                     The State government have described the methodology used to prepare the SPP mapping in the following
                     publications:

                           ▪    Natural Hazards, Risk and Resilience –– Bushfire State Planning Policy – state interest guidance
                                material (The Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, 2019); and
                           ▪    Bushfire Resilient Communities. Technical Reference Guide for the State Planning Policy State
                                Interest ‘Natural Hazards, Risk and Resilience - Bushfire’ (Queensland Fire and Emergency
                                Services, 2019).

                     3.2       VEGETATION HAZARD CLASSES

                     Fuel loads need to be determined when preparing a bushfire hazard assessment. The Queensland Fire
                     and Emergency Services (QFES) refers to the process for identifying, classifying and mapping vegetation
                     hazard classes as a Vegetation Hazard Class Assessment. Vegetation hazard classes (VHC) have been
                     determined in accordance with the methodology outlined in Section 6 of the Bushfire Resilient
                     Communities Technical Reference Guide for the State Planning Policy State Interest ‘Natural Hazards,
                     Risk and Resilience - Bushfire’ (QFES 2019). Table 2 lists the vegetation types and associated vegetation
                     hazard classes (VHC) which were identified within the assessment area and including a 150m buffer
                     surrounding the location of the proposed development.

                     As detailed in Section 2.3, Plate 1, the vegetated areas within and surrounding the proposed site is
                     predominantly comprised of C. camphora closed forest with minimal understory and ground vegetation.
                     The Bushfire Resilient Communities Technical Reference Guide for the State Planning Policy State
                     Interest ‘Natural Hazards, Risk and Resilience - Bushfire’ (QFES 2019) does not have an equivalent VHC
                     for C. camphora dominated forests. Here, the dominance of the C. camphora with very high (>80%)
                     canopy cover has prevented the growth of understory and ground vegetation. Therefore, these areas are
                     considered akin to a closed remnant rainforest VHC due to similarities of the vegetation tiers and typical
                     FPC.




                   20 December 2022                          Bushfire Hazard Assessment                                            21
Document Set ID: 22990715
                  22224494                                38 Barina Court, Pomona QLD 4568
Version: 1, Version Date: 24/04/2024
                          22/12/2022