Transcript Document
Baths Road Reserve – Fire Management 7/7/2015 1 Introduction The aim of the presentation is to: Provide an update on the Draft Fire Management Plan for the reserve and the associated works undertaken to date Detail the fire risks associated with the reserve Detail the reserves environmental values and risks Outline fuel management options for the reserve and seek feed back on the various options Baths Road Reserve, Mirboo North 7/7/2015 Chris Rankin - South Gippsland Shire Council’s, Biodiversity Officer 2 Draft Fire Management Plan (FMP) & Works to Date The Draft Plan for the Reserve includes: Fuel Management Zones (FMZ) adjacent to reserve boundaries to reduce the impact of wildfire on adjacent properties Baths Road Reserve Fire Management Plane, Map 7/7/2015 Zone objectives for the fuel management zones Details on annual/seasonal works to achieve the zone objectives A prescribed Burn Plan Identify burning requirements/objectives for environmental asset management based on the following: Ecological assets being managed Fire ecology attributes of key flora and fauna species Distribution of fuel types Fire history of the site; and Other factors requiring special protection e.g. life and asset property protection. 3 Draft Fire Management Plan (FMP) & Works to Date (Cont) The following works have been undertaken to date: Fuel reduction works in flame zone areas e.g. Jordans Way Fuel reduction/weed control works (between Allen Street and Jordans Way) Commencement of track upgrades (vegetation removal on Jordans Way and Balook Street) 2009 Fire Management Works - Baths Road Reserve, Mirboo North 2010 Fuel Management Works, Jordans Way and Baths Road 7/7/2015 4 Current Fire Risks for Baths Road Reserve To protect homes and other assets it is desirable that they are outside the flame zone and are exposed to low levels of radiant heat (< 12.5kW/m) The Wildfire Risk Assessment found that most of the surrounding homes and the pool are at risk of being in the flame zone in a catastrophic Code Red fire event (based on the fuel loads within the reserve prior to the Flame Zone Works being undertaken). A large number of houses are likely to exposed to high levels of radiant heat in the event of a wildfire (residents should leave on Severe, Extreme or Catastrophic fire risk days) Baths Road Reserve, Aerial Map 7/7/2015 The Draft FMP’s primary focus is the reduction in risk to the adjacent houses 5 Current Fire Risks for Baths Road Reserve Prescribed Burning 7/7/2015 • The assessment is not an overall wildfire risk assessment for each house (average values were used and only the contribution of the reserve to bush fire risk was considered) • Individual Household Bushfire Site Assessments should be undertaken by households adjoining the reserve to determine whether to stay or go (The safest option is always to leave early) The Draft Plan recommends the establishment of an Asset Protection Zone over approximately 75% of the reserve to reduce the risk to the adjacent houses. 6 Baths Road Reserve – Fire Management Plan, Zones 7/7/2015 7 Baths Road Reserve – Fire Management Plan, Operations Plan 7/7/2015 8 Environmental Values and Risks Associated with Fire Management Beard Orchid, Baths Road Reserve, Mirboo North Tufted Fringe Lily, Baths Road Reserve 7/7/2015 The Reserve is managed by SGSC for the preservation of flora and fauna, passive recreation and environmental education F & F Guarantee Act 1988 provides legal protection for those plants and animals found on public land listed under the Act. Baths Road Reserve contains a high proportion of regionally of significant vegetation communities: 2 Endangered EVC’s (Shrubby Foothill Forest and Damp Forest) 2 Vulnerable EVC’s (Lowland Forest and Over 100 native plant species including 10 of regional significance As already indicated the Draft Plan recommends the establishment of an Asset Protection Zone over approximately 75% of the reserve to reduce the risk to the adjacent houses. 9 Environmental Values and Risks Associated with Fire Management (Cont) Mirboo Lily, Diplarrena moraea Asset Protection Zones are created by removing the shrub (midstorey) and ground layers (understorey) from the vast majority of the Zone. Ultimately all that remains is the trees (overstorey) and small groundcovers under 150mm in height. This means most native plant species are lost and a reserves habitat values are destroyed Flax Lily 7/7/2015 Example: Asset Protection Zone, Mirboo North 10 Baths Road Reserve – Asset Protection Zone, Fuel Management Examples Baths Road Reserve currently with the , overstorey, midstorey and understorey present) Example of an Asset Protection Zone with the midstorey and understorey removed 7/7/2015 11 Baths Road Reserve – Asset Protection Zone, Fuel Management Examples Asset Protection Zone Clearing – Jordans Way 7/7/2015 12 Fire Management options for the Reserve Option 1: Minimise further Environmental Impacts (Remaining values retained) No houses in Flame Zone (maintain the cleared Flame Zone areas and grassed areas (Nth of Allen Street and Nth of Ridgway) Undertake Prescribed burning (with the assistance of the CFA) in the reserve in autumn/winter to reduce the fire risk (Asset Protection Zone Areas and the Ecological Management Zone) Large number of houses likely to exposed to high levels of radiant heat in the event of a wildfire (residents should leave on severe, extreme or catastrophic risk days) Option 2: Asset Protection Zones reduced by 50% (depth) No houses likely to be within the Flame Zone Large number of houses likely to be exposed to high levels of radiant heat Approximately 40% of the reserve’s environmental values impacted/destroyed Undertake Prescribed burning (with the assistance of the CFA) in autumn/winter to reduce the fire risk Option 3: Asset Protection Zones (based on the current Draft FMP) No houses likely to be within the Flame Zone A number of houses likely to be exposed to high levels of radiant heat Approximately 75% of the reserve’s environmental values impacted/destroyed Undertake Prescribed burning (with the assistance of the CFA) 7/7/2015 13