The Kimberley region is a rugged and largely undiscovered part of Australia due to its isolation. Management of the area are faced with many hurdles is many facets – Fire Management being just one of them.
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) is responsible for management of Western Australia’s State Forests, National Parks, Conservation Parks and Nature Reserves. When conditions are suitable the Department carry out prescribed burning in the Prince Regent Nature Reserve, Mitchell River National Park, King Leopold Range Conservation Park, Drysdale River National Park, Unallocated Crown lands, and Aboriginal Lands adjoining DEC estate during the early part of the dry season.
Each year, the Regional Fire Coordinator for the Department of Environment and Conservation, Edward Hatherley liases with Kimberley cruise operators to keep us all informed about Fire Management in the Kimberley region.
“The Department uses planned fire to manage the natural ecosystems in order to maintain the biological diversity of habitats and species richness, and to protect life, community assets and natural resources from damage by uncontrolled fire later in the season. The objectives of the burning is to create areas of burnt and unburnt country that may limit the extent of wildfires and create a mosaic of different age vegetation that will assist in maintaining the biodiversity of the area.
Generally DEC operations run over a 12 week period commencing around April through to late June, drying conditions permitting and works closely with other agencies, Traditional Owners, and stakeholders in the interest of developing a strategic fire plan to address the issue of large late dry season wildfires that are having a significant impact across the Region.”
So it seems there is more to the smoke that we see at times of the year. Fire Management can be largely misunderstood but this highlights just how we need to work with Mother Nature as she will always be the winner in a region 3 times the size of the UK!!
