New fire management plans protect biodiversity and communities
Communities across the Adelaide Hills, Mount Lofty Ranges and Fleurieu Peninsula will be better protected from bushfire while supporting biodiversity conservation under two new fire management plans.
The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Fire Management Plan and Fleurieu Fire Management Plan consolidate five previous plans into two region-wide plans informed by the latest fire science, local knowledge and computer-based tools.
The Mount Lofty Ranges and Fleurieu contain some of the most biologically diverse areas across our state, and the new fire management plans have strategies to protect and enhance biodiversity, including through prescribed burning.
The plans also include strategies to improve firefighter access and response through the maintenance and upgrading of fire tracks, upgrading fuel breaks and water infrastructure, and adding additional water tanks, in key locations.
For the first time, First Nations fire management objectives have been formally incorporated into fire management planning through a new strategy known as First Nations Partnership Areas (FNPAs).
FNPAs create dedicated opportunities for Traditional Owners and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to work together on fire management, support cultural burning practices and strengthen the protection of cultural and environmental values on Country.
Department for Environment and Water Director Fire Management and Compliance Fiona Gill said the new plans provide a clear roadmap for reducing bushfire risk.
“The new fire management plans have been developed using the latest fire science and risk modelling, but they have also been informed by the knowledge and experience of local communities, landholders, partner agencies and First Nations groups,” Ms Gill said.
“The establishment of First Nations Partnership Areas recognises the Traditional Owners and their enduring connection to Country and the role cultural fire management has alongside contemporary bushfire planning,” she said.
The plans were developed with extensive input from park rangers, fire management experts, ecologists, First Nations groups, the Country Fire Service, local councils, environmental organisations, as well as public consultation.
More information, including interactive strategy maps, is available at: https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/topics/fire-management/fire-management-plans/current-fire management-plans
