Successful spring prescribed burn season comes to an end

MEDIA RELEASE

A prescribed burn in Adelaide’s southern suburbs today has marked the end of a successful spring season that has seen 46 prescribed burns carried out across South Australia – reducing the fire risk across more than 1600 hectares of public and private land.

This spring also saw a new record for the burning on private land, with 25 landowners bordering Cleland National Park working with National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to stage a burn two years in planning.

A total of 90 burns are planned across the state in spring 2021 and autumn 2022, which will be carried out by NPWS, in partnership with the Country Fire Service (CFS), SA Water and ForestrySA. This follows a record 96 prescribed burns which were delivered in the 2020/21 season as part of the Marshall Liberal Government’s commitment to significantly increase fire hazard reduction.

Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs said the Marshall Liberal Government’s prescribed burn program was an important investment in preparing communities the 2021/22 bushfire season.

“Today’s burn at Field River Reserve is part of our commitment to further reduce fire risks and creating a bushfire buffer zone between the reserve and nearby housing, bolstering the security of residents over summer,” Minister Speirs said.

“The Marshall Liberal Government has committed a record $37 million over five years to significantly increase hazard reduction across the state as part of the $97.5 million response to the Keelty Review into the tragic 2019/20 bushfire season.

“This season has seen an increase of around 500 hectares of prescribed burns carried out compared to spring 2020, demonstrating our commitment to creating a safer, stronger and more bushfire resilient South Australia.

“Today’s Field River burn aims to reduce fuel loads from invasive weeds, and is the first step in a program of revegetating the park to improve biodiversity while at the same time reducing bushfire risk to neighbouring properties.

Emergency Services Minister Vincent Tarzia encouraged landholders to work with the Government to reduce bushfire risk.

“Every South Australian has a responsibility to reduce fire hazards around their property and it is crucial everyone has bushfire survival plan ready for summer,” Minister Tarzia said.

“While it is impossible to eliminate the threat of bushfires, prescribed burns are one proactive action we can undertake to better prepare South Australia for future bushfire emergencies.

“These prescribed burns are chosen strategically to reduce fuel loads across the landscape, which help reduce the intensity and spread of fires, and provide safer access corridors for our dedicated CFS volunteers and MFS personnel.

“If bushfires do break out, 25 new CFS trucks and 55 state-of-the-art thermal imaging cameras will be in action, delivered by the Marshall Liberal Government as promised, to keep volunteers safe on the front line.”

For the most up-to-date information on prescribed burns follow @SAENVIRWATER on Twitter.

A list of planned prescribed burns is available on the DEW website.