RFI - Bushfire Hazard Assessment and Management Plan

                                                            Bushfire Hazard Assessment and Management Plan



3.1.2.2 Potential Fuel Loads

Fuel loads have been allocated for each VHC to represent the long-unburnt condition that would be
typically exhibited 10 years after fire. In accordance with the values provided in Figure 14 of the BRC
Technical Guide (QFES, 2019a), the potential fuel load values for ground-truthed VHCs within and
surrounding the site are as provided in Table 1.

           Table 1: Potential fuel loads for classified vegetation within 150 m assessment area.


                                  Total         Total
                                  potential     overall
 VHC                              surface       potential    Prone type 1             Fuel continuity2
                                  fuel load     fuel load
                                  (t/ha)        (t/ha)

        Moist to dry Eucalypt                                      Bushfire-prone –
        open forest on
 9.1                              21           24.2          1     Forest or shrub    1    Continuous
        coastal lowlands and
        plains                                                     fires


        Low to moderate tree                                       Low hazard              Discontinuous
 39.2   cover in built-up         5             8            3                        2
        areas

        Continuous low grass
40.4                              4.5          5.0           2     Grassfire prone    1    Continuous
        or tree cover


3.1.3 Step 3 - Site and Effective Slope

Two slope input parameters are required for the estimation of fire behaviour and separation. Site slope
is the slope of the ground between the edge of the proposed development (or site boundary) and the
edge of hazardous vegetation. Effective slope refers to the slope of the land beneath hazardous
vegetation. Effective slope is the more important parameter as it has a direct influence on the potential
rate of fire spread, fuel consumption and thus, potential fireline intensity. For each vegetation hazard
class, the effective slope is determined by assessing the slope beneath classified vegetation (in
degrees) which most influences bushfire behaviour and the relative position of land supporting
hazardous vegetation in relation to the development i.e. upslope or downslope. Where there is more
than one slope beneath classified vegetation, each slope should be individually assessed, and the
worst-case scenario adopted.

The topography of the site and surrounding land is steep and undulating. The site slope and effective
slope values were determined using LiDAR-derived 1 metre contour data published by the Noosa
Council. Table 2 below shows the slopes involved for the Method 2 BAL calculations. Only the
vegetation to the south, south-west and east of the dwelling site is classified hazardous vegetation.



1 Prone type taken from the VHC_Data sheet of the SPP Bushfire APZ Calculator.
2 Fuel continuity type taken from Figure 14 of the QFES BRC Technical Guide.




                                                      PR22116_BHAMP_178 Davis Rd, Cootharaba       Page 17