- Title:
-
The Effect of Fuel Reduction Burning on the Suppression of four Wildfires in Western Victoria
- Date:
- December 1993
- Organisations
- DSE
- Authors:
- Stephen R. Grant and Michael A. Wouters
- Location:
- Victoria, VIC, Australia
Overview
This report examines the effects of fuel reduction burns on four wildfires in health and mallee fuel types in the lIttle Desert and Grampians areas of Western Victoria. These burns prevented each of the four wildfires from reaching a much larger size, thus saving considerable suppression resources and avoiding damage to private property in one case. In addition, on a day when 17 wildfires occurred and fire suppression resources were scarce, the burns reduced the overall demand for resources, and thereby provided an important strategic benefit.
Some other specific conclusions were that:
- established fires that are burning in the Little Desert heathland that has not been burnt for seven or more years, burning under conditions of 30-35 km/h wind and with an overall Forest Fire Danger Index of 10 or greater, can be too intense to be controlled by direct attack;
- established fires that are burning in the South Wimmera in Brown Stringy-bark heathy woodland that have not been burnt for 25 or more years, burning under conditions of High to Very High Forest Fire Danger Index or greater, can be too intense to be controlled by direct attack;
- mallee-broombrush fuels that have not been burnt for seven years can be an effective barrier to fire spread when the Forest Fire Danger Index is 10 and the wind is + 30 km/h;
- for up to 10 years after a burning, the reduction of bark hazard in Brown Stringybark woodland can greatly assist fire suppression operations by reducing spotting.
