Bushfire Risk Assessment 2025 Final - Noosa Springs 2022026

Bushfire Risk Assessment v3                                                           NCES REF: J001433
Select Areas of Noosa Springs Residential Estate, Noosa Heads




west in the Elysium development but readily within spot fire transmission risk of this off-site
vegetation.

Area 2 is exposed to a fire run distance of approximately 1.5km to the north-west along the
eastern foreshore of Lake Weyba and its supply tributary from the Noosa River, as well as a
secondary fire run from the north, within the Noosa Springs estate, of approximately 350m.

The north-west Lake Weyba fire run is host to a mosaic of open forest and riverine coastal
paperbark forest on its western margin to approximately 80m width and introduced low
flammability rainforest on its eastern margin about the periphery of the Elysium residential estate.
Variable width mangrove communities are also present about the intertidal zone. The corridor
width pinches within 130m of the site to only 40m width where it is dominated by low flammability
figs and rainforest plantings. The likelihood of a direct fire front intersecting Area 2 from the west
is therefore considered relatively low whilst the risk of spotting and ember attack generating a fire
within Area 2 is deemed high.

The Elysium fire run to the north comprises mid-dense VHC 8.1 fuels loads and could be expected
to burn toward Area 2 under seasonal fire winds from the north to north-west. The corridor is quite
narrow at <30m east west width and pinches to <20m width adjacent to Area 2. The narrow width
of this community infers only a low to moderate intensity fire front would take hold. Nonetheless
the flammability of the in-situ vegetation infers high risk of fire transmission onto Area 2.

Area 3 is exposed to a narrow (30-40m width) foreshore fire run from the north-west which is host
to a combination of coastal vine forest/ wet eucalypt forest and paperbark wetland flanked by
mangroves. The narrow width of this community infers only a low to moderate intensity fire front
would take hold. The fire run is however aligned along a high-risk north-west axis to Area 3 hence
typical fire season winds would be expected to drive a fire toward Area 3.

A substantial fire run distance of approximately 8-10km is present to the south-east and south of
Areas 3 along the eastern foreshore of Lake Weyba through to the Coolum High School. This fire
run traverses highly flammable wet and dry heathland, paperbark swamp and open forest
vegetation hazard classes which, based on recent years, is highly prone to fire during the fire
season. The fire run offers a maximum potential east west fire front width of approximately 1.2 -
1.3 km. The width of the fire run decreases dramatically within 120m of the eastern end of Area
3 from approximately 100m down to only 20m. The vegetation type also changes about this
location from highly flammable paperbark wetland to regenerating coastal vine forest +/- scattered
eucalypts in the canopy. This is likely a significant contributing factor as to why the recent fire did
not continue to burn through the site to Area 3.

4.3      Past Fire History in Areas 1-4
No evidence of recent past fire history was observed in Areas 1-4. Areas 1 and 4 are functionally
isolated from intact bushland hence are highly unlikely to be exposed to a bushfire event that
originates beyond their extent.

4.4      Slope Influences
Areas 1 and 4 are considered unconstrained by slope influence by virtue of the or relatively low-
grade slopes.

Areas 2 and 3 are host to steep but relatively short length slopes. Slopes can have a significant
influence on fire behaviour, with rate of spread predicted to double with every 10º increase in
slope compared to flat ground. Steep slopes facilitate flame tipping which preheats vegetation
fuel sources ahead of the fire front, drying them out and subsequently resulting in quicker
combustion times. Whilst the slopes in Areas 2 and 3 are steep, it is unlikely that a fire front would
intercept the slopes on a perpendicular alignment to the slopes, given the presence of virtually
zero fuel loads on the flats adjacent to the toe of the slopes care of the flanking water bodies and




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