Bushfire Management Plan Amendment BHA_REPORT_Stockwell 16.10.2020 · OPW20/0145

                                                                                     Bushfire Management Plan | Page 4




2. Information Request
APPLICATION NO. OPW20/0145

Issue: There are a number of concerns with the proposed works and the nominated Bushfire Management
Plan.

23.



The locating of hydrant standpipes along the emergency access road within Lots 11-15 is contrary to good
practice. It is important to acknowledge that water is not the primary tool utilised to suppress vegetation
fires. The emergency access road provides a point from where low intensity mitigation or suppression
action can be implemented.

The original vegetation in this location is identified as Melaleuca quinquenervia open forest on coastal
alluvium, Vegetation Hazard Class (VHC) 22.1. The State – wide Bushfire Prone Area Mapping indicates a
fuel load within this vegetation type of 28.4 tonnes/ha at maturity. (Reference: Leonard, J., Newnham, G.,
Opie, K., and Blanchi, R. (2014) A new methodology for state-wide mapping of bushfire prone areas in
Queensland. CSIRO, Australia).

A fire in this vegetation type would generate a Fireline Intensity of 10 000 k/W m2. A fire fighter wearing
full Personal Protective equipment (PPE) can withstand a maximum exposure to 2 - 3 k/W for a short
period. The access road would be used to initiate a low intensity backburn to increase the separation
distance between the fire front and vulnerable property, reducing possible impacts.
In the event of a fire the emergency access road would be utilised by dedicated four-wheel drive, rural fire
fighting appliances with on board water supply, pumps and hose reels.

It is standard operational procedure to establish hose lays using multiple lengths of 30 metre hose to deliver
water from hydrants as required. Barlow Shelley have provided drawings to simulate a firefighting
appliance with a 90m hose reach radius (3 x 30m hoses) along the Emergency Access Road. This provides
adequate reach for fire crews safely manoeuvre along the length of the access road in a bushfire event
should they need to connect to hydrants.

Placing standpipes on this access would result in the access road being blocked when appliances are
refilling preventing safe movement of other appliances and crews.

Response to 23: For the safety of fire fighters and operational efficiency, the location of hydrants on
the emergency access road is not recommended, nor required.




                                                                  Bushfire Planning Specialists | qldbushfireplanning.com.au