Rural Fires and Environmental Assessment Legislation Act Amendment 2002

• Requires councils to map bushfire prone land (and require it to be shown as such on title deed of property) and prevents consent being granted for a development unless it conforms with "Planning for Bushfire Protection" guidelines (a copy is in the CEC library).
• Will audit implementation of local Bush Fire Risk Management Plans (BFRMPs)
• Hazard reduction work to be authorised by a "one-stop-shop" bush fire hazard reduction certificate issued by councils, which applies to hazard reduction only - not clearing for land management purposes, and overrides Native Veg Act, Threatened Species Act and EISs with bush fire environmental assessment code.
• Bush fire environmental assessment code is being drafted by a committee (with an NCC rep) and must take into account "the principles of ecologically sustainable development".
• Bush fire hazard complaints to council about hazardous fuel build-up on neighbouring properties can result in orders to reduce hazards.
• Makes it clear that emergency fire fighting activities are not subject to various environmental planning and licensing requirements.

What period between fires is normal / natural / sustainable?

There are no easy answers. Fire is pivotal to the functioning of ecosystems in Australia. The effects of fire on flora, fauna, soils and water courses have to be considered.

Invertebrates are generally good fire escapists although some are attracted to it. Apart from those species listed as endangered, not much is known about most invertebrates' vulnerability to fire.

Fire sensitive birds such as the Eastern Bristlebird tend to be ground dwellers, cover dependent, poor fliers, low fecundity, poor dispersers (recolonisers), and nest during bushfire periods.

Some plants recover by budding after a fire. Some require 5, 10 or 150 years to bear seed unless killed by fire before maturity, while some short-lived species' seeds may have a viability of only 1-2 years in the soil and require heat or smoke to germinate the seeds. Around Sydney's sandstone shrubby woodland areas, repeated interfire intervals less than 8 years cause species to be lost. Variable intervals between 8 and 30 years appear to be appropriate for this and Tenterfield's granite shrubby woodland.

Soil forms at the rate of 1-10mm/1000years, ie they are virtually non-renewable. Today's soils are 30,000 years old. The hotter the burn, the more erosion. Losses of up to 48 tonnes/ha have been recorded. Fire disperses nutrients in the soil to the atmosphere and leaves soil bare and loose, cooked and water repellent, subject to rain splash and runoff. Ash, sand and charcoal are washed into rivers, dams and oceans. Charcoal depletes oxygen in water and phosphorus build-up in dams leads to algal blooms. Water content of soil is important in keeping litter layer moist and reducing fire spread. And the litter layer is important in keeping the soil moist. Fire breaks, fire trails and mineral earth lines cleared during the emergency must be rehabilitated to minimise erosion. Burnt areas have the extra burdens of weed infestation, sightseers and trailbikes disturbing the fragile soils, and greater pressure by grazing animals. After a fire is a good opportunity for feral animal control.

VARY YOUR FIRE REGIMES with different periods between burns (if in doubt, longer period is better), burn in different seasons (if possible), and burn different patches. Patches should be bigger rather than smaller to spread post-fire grazing pressure.