2021-06-08 Planning & Environment Committee Meeting Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA    8 JUNE 2021




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PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                                 8 JUNE 2021

                                                                                                      Assure

                Operational concerns
                6.1 Asset Protection Zones
                There are varying opinions for areas declared fuel free zones, and there are also risks associated with
                the development and maintenance of these zones. These are both risks to the environment through
                unauthorised access and erosion. Also, there is a risk associated with once these areas are created
                the use of these areas for illegal dumping.
                The State Government Planning Regulations provide vegetation clearing exemptions for fire
                management for new developments:
                 ‘Exempt clearing for fire management-For a firebreak necessary to protect buildings and other structures
                (other than a fence line): to a width of up to 1.5 times the height of the tallest vegetation or 20m (whichever is
                wider)’.
                These widths are usually associated with Fire Breaks around agricultural lands or similar. To maintain
                this type of width is prohibitive and sometimes destructive to the environment. In some instances,
                such as in locations where types of vegetation exist these widths are also used to mitigate the
                aftereffects of a fire during the Mop-up Stage. Some types of vegetation, specifically Gum
                “Eucalypteae” (Photo 2) type trees over periods of drought become hollow. If these are not
                adequately extinguished at the base, the tree will continue to burn, sometimes not obviously, until
                they fall. This then could have impacts, especially should these trees be in the vicinity of structures.
                Where this type of vegetation exists, a mitigation strategy could be that periods of Mop-up is
                extended, and all identified trees adequately extinguished. The use of environmentally safe
                firefighting foam, and the use of heat imaging equipment can assist in ensuring these trees are
                appropriately extinguished.
                The regulations however do not consider environmental factors such as vegetation type and slope,
                which is an important consideration in assessing bushfire risk. Bushfire risk needs to be assessed on
                a case by case basis and management actions delivered in the highest priority areas. Secondly,
                clearing wider fire trails may cause unacceptable environmental impacts, particularly for small and
                narrow bushland reserves, and raise significant community concerns.
                The introduction of cleared fire trails also creates the risk of illegal dumping. Even the act of simply
                throwing garden green waste over the back fence greatly increases the fuel load over time
                increasing the potential impact of fire. Townsville City Council introduced a successful campaign “Are
                you fuelling the fire” and have been running this for a number of years. Council should consider a
                similar social media campaign to raise awareness throughout the community of the risk associated
                with this activity.
                The introduction of fire trail also encourages people to access these either for sporting (walking,
                mountain bike riding etc) and also include illegal riding of motorised equipment and the dumping of
                stolen vehicles. Both these activities increase the risk of unauthorised fires, and a strategy will need
                to be developed to mitigate this type of access whilst still allowing access by authorised personnel.
                Any types of gates once installed should also consider allowing access for emergency vehicles.

                Document Name:    Peer Review - Noosa Shire Council (Bushfire Management Plan)            Page 5 of 9

RRS

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