2020-08-17 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                                   17 AUGUST 2020


reserves for bushfire mitigation works. This FMP is currently being updated based on new bushfire
data and information, particularly in relation to climate change and the longer and more intense
bushfire seasons we are likely to experience as a result.
The new FMP will come to Council before the end of the year, and will inform the way we manage
bushland for fire mitigation into the future. It will have a couple of key differences to the previous
plan:
     It considers risk associated with all reserves mapped as Medium Potential Bushfire Intensity
      and higher, not just those above 10ha.
     It provides clearer parameters for the width of fire access trails and fuel reduction zones
      around the reserves.
Individual reserves that are assessed as potentially high risk often also have site-specific Fire
Management Plans. These provide for specific, localised actions for that individual reserve.
Currently 33 of our Council-managed bushland reserves have their own FMP, noting that some of
these are now some years old.
Council has also dedicated funding towards the development of localised multi-agency fire plans
for a few of the highest risk areas in Noosa. The intent of these plans will be to ensure that where
there are multiple agencies managing land in higher risk areas, practices are developed to ensure
all agencies work closely together in a coordinated manner and that key community stakeholders
are also engaged in the process. A scope for this work is currently being developed, with
stakeholder engagement to begin in the second half of 2020. It is anticipated that these area-
specific plans will drive mitigation efforts at these locations from 2021 onwards.
Fire access trails & Fuel reduction zones
Fire access trails within Council-managed Bushland Reserves make up a total length of 62km and
facilitate access for fire appliances (vehicles) for the purposes of controlling fire. Council is also
responsible for maintenance of some fire trails between the Noosa National Park and properties in
the Castaways Beach area, and the State Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy
(DNRME) is responsible in some other coastal areas.
Fire trails are not intended to be ‘fire breaks’ that provide a complete barrier between fire and
properties, but are designed for access by emergency services to protect life and property. The
width and type of the fire trail depends on topography and requirements for a safe separation
between fire crews and vegetation. In some areas it is not possible to provide a clear break, such
as steep slopes, and in these cases fuel reduction will be undertaken instead.
Fuel reduction zones are defined as areas in which fuel levels have been reduced for the prime
role of reducing wildfire intensity. Fuel reduction zones are generally used when a reserve is
deemed not able to safely conduct planned burn activities or when a functional fire trail is not able
to be established, for example on steeply sloping land.
Council has an ongoing program of improvements, widening and new fire access trails underway.
As well as the normal maintenance of 62km of trails, Council has a range of fire access trail
widening and establishment of new trails planned for the 20/21 financial year. The table below
outlines some of the priority actions for the next year.




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