MCU14/0106 & OPW15/0001 Appendix F - Ecological and Bushfire Management Response

Noosa Civic Expansion
Bushfire Assessment Report



   VHC        VHC description                    Potential Fuel Load    Site Specific Assessment of Presence3
                                                (tonnes per hectare)
     8        Acacia communities                        10              Absent
     9        Coastal, fringing and                      8              Absent
              dune communities
    10        Riparian and           fringing            8              Present – adjacent to Eenie Creek.
              communities
    11        Native     grasslands,                     5              Absent
              sedgelands and balds
    12        Mixture of rural classes -                 5              Absent
              mainly grassland
    13        Cropping                  and              5              Absent
              horticulture
    14        Dry vine forest and vine                   5              Absent
              thickets
    15        Hoop Plantations                           5              Absent
    16        Mixture of urban classes                   3              Present – the existing Noosa Civic development and
                                                                        adjacent urban residential areas.
    17        Rainforest                                 1              Absent - over time this vegetation type is likely to
                                                                        develop within OS7 Open Space Precinct if fire is
                                                                        actively excluded from this area.
    18        Mangroves                 and              1              Present – restricted to a very narrow band along the
              saltmarshes                                               edges of Eenie Creek to the south of the Noosa Civic
                                                                        expansion site.
    19        Sparse ground cover                        1              Absent
    20        Water bodies                               0              Present – Eenie Creek


Based on the above, the Potential Fuel Loads available within and adjacent to the Noosa Civic site range from:
> a minimum of 3 t/ha associated with existing urban development primarily located to the north and west; to
> a maximum of 30-33 t/ha associated with areas of regrowth open forest located within and to the south and
  east of the proposed Noosa Civic expansion site.

3.2.2            Forest Fire Danger Index
Fire Weather Severity Mapping for Queensland shows that extreme Forest Fire Danger Index weather events
occur more frequently in western Queensland than coastal and northern parts of the state. Zones with a less
severe Forest Fire Danger Index (i.e. a FFDI < 50) occur in Cape York, the Wet Tropics and in parts of coastal
South East Queensland.
As shown in the extract from the Fire Weather Severity Mapping presented in Table 3-10 the Noosa Civic
expansion site and surrounding locality is characterised by an FFDI of 50.




QIC Noosa Civic Pty Ltd                                       Version 2                                         23 April 2015
J13041_Bushfire Assessment V2.docx                      Commercial in Confidence                                    Page 13