Bushfire Hazard Assessment & Management Plan

Bushfire Hazard Assessment & Management Plan – v2                           NCES REF: ELK 2016-04
Lot 70 on M37807 – 28 Elkhorn Drive, Tewantin




A second potential fire pathway exists to the west of the site, which under predominant
regional fire weather winds from the north to west, could carry a fire onto the site. The
vegetation to the west comprises Eucalyptus tereticornis and Corymbia intermedia woodland
over cleared understorey conditions (mowed) which substantially reduces the available
surface fuels to support fire. The western part of the adjoining allotment is host to stands of
slash pine which offer flammable surface fuels (pine needles and cones) and therefore
represents a possible fuel source to support a low intensity fire.

It is noted the site is comprehensively buffered from forest fire ingress from the north, south
and west beyond the immediate flanking vegetation. Therefore, apart from the low risk of fire
entering the site from the east it is most at risk of ember and advance spotting attack from a
fire burning further afield to the north to north-west within the expansive Great Sandy National
Park open forest vegetation. Post development conditions within the site will reduce the
capacity for intact bushland to regenerate on the site and therefore protection from ember and
advance spotting relies on building construction standards and general yard maintenance.

The risk of a fire burning from east to west and or south to north toward the site is generally
considered low as such weather conditions are rarely associated with hazardous bushfire
weather conditions on the Sunshine Coast. The risk of severe fire developing from these
directions is constrained by several factors including fragmentation resulting from the
presence of existing clearings for housing and roadways, the aquatic environs of Noosa River,
flanking low flammability mangrove communities and the low likelihood of a fire developing
under southerly or easterly winds, which generally facilitate high humidity, cooler land
temperatures and rainfall periods.

The site’s position in an urban landscape offers emergency services direct and efficient access
to the site which, combined with supply of pressurized town water, infers excellent capacity to
defend fire at the site.

Overall the Medium and Low hazard rating scores attributed to the investigation area using
the SPP methodology is considered warranted. The inclusion of hazard reduction measures
into the proposed plan of development is deemed appropriate given the continuous expanse
of flammable open forest vegetation flanking the Noosa River further to the north, east and
west of the site and therefore the risk of ember attack impacting the site and flaring up a fire
in the local vegetation units.




© 2016                                              13