ATTCH 2 - IR Response - Ecological and Bushfire IR Response (Cardno)

                                                                                                      Bushfire Management Plan
                                                                                          Lot 71 on MCH 2854, Castaways Beach



    c) The Site is separated from designated bushfire hazard areas within the adjacent sectors of National
       Park by established residential housing associated with the Castaways Beach and Sunrise Beach
       communities. These communities have a much greater exposure to the bushfire and QFES, National
       Parks and Council personnel and resources would be directed towards the defence of these
       communities if they, and thereafter the Site, were threatened by a bushfire originating within the Noosa
       National Park and being driven in an easterly direction by hot, dry westerly winds.
    d) A fire moving in an easterly direction towards the Site through the relatively narrow band of vegetation
       (100-250m in width) centred on Burgess Creek, that extends eastward from the Noosa National Park,
       would also pose a potential threat to the established communities to the west of David Low Way. As
       such QFES, National Parks and Council personnel and resources would be directed towards the
       defence of these communities. The most likely tactics that would be employed to contain the bushfire
       within the National Park would be to use a combination of direct and indirect methods of attack
       including the use of dozers to reinforce existing fire trails, back burning, direct aerial and ground attack
       on the fire front and flanks, and suppression of spot fires.
    e) David Low Way provides a further line of defence against the eastward movement of a medium to high
       intensity fire towards the Site, driven by hot dry westerly winds.
    f)       The relatively narrow (i.e. ~50m) band of vegetation situated between the western edge of David Low
             Way and established residential areas of Castaways Beach, but outside of the designated Bushfire
             Hazard Area, is generally located upslope or cross-slope from the Site. If that vegetation becomes
             engaged in a bushfire it would present a relatively low threat to dwellings of the Site due to its slope
             position and the presence of David Low Way.
    g) A bushfires that directly threatens existing or new dwellings on the Site would:
                 -       most likely originate from spot-fires originating from a high intensity bushfire within larger areas
                         of bushland to the west;
                 -       have a relatively short fire run length;
                 -       most likely be a backing fires (i.e. approaching the Site against the prevailing wind direction);
                         and
                 -       therefore be of a relatively low intensity.
In summary, the proposed plan of development will result in the establishment of four (4) additional residential
dwellings on the Site which will have some exposure to potential adverse effects associated with medium to
high intensity bushfire occurring within identified bushfire hazard areas to the west (e.g. smoke, ember attack).
There is also some risk of exposure to low intensity spot fires that may established within retained areas of
vegetation within the Site or the adjacent coastal reserve to the east.
The level of risk of harm that future residents and their properties would be exposed to is:
         >     relatively low and less than that to which many existing residents to the west of David Low Way are
               exposed;
         >     less than that to which existing residents of the two dwellings on the Site would be exposed due to
               the fact that new dwellings located within the 100m wide Potential Impact Buffer would need to be
               designed and constructed in accordance with AS3959(2009) Construction of buildings in bushfire
               prone areas; and
         >     would be further mitigated by:
                          provision of a reticulated water supply which would be available for fire suppression
                           purposes if required;
                          provision of a formed access to each of the residential lots that has been designed to cater
                           for the movement requirements of Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES)
                           appliances if required;
                          the maintenance of a fire trail / asset protection zone around the internal perimeter of the
                           Site to provide physical separation between vegetated areas of the Site and adjoining
                           coastal reserve; and



WE17035 | 13 November 2017
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