Central Australian Fire Season Commencement
Bushfires NT today joined the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service at their Alice Springs headquarters to announce the commencement of the 2018 Central Australian Fire Danger Period, marking the start of the fire season.
Assistant Director Operations Joshua Fischer (Bushfires NT) said all landholders need to plan and prepare now, if they haven’t already done so, to ensure that they are best prepared in the event of a bushfire occurring.
“Landholders working together to reduce bushfire risk by implementing their fire management plan is absolutely essential,” Mr Fischer said.
“Places of increased risk this season include those areas surrounding Alice Springs where there is a large distribution of introduced grass species, especially if these areas have not experienced fire during the past six years.
“Bushfires NT has prepared for this fire season by partnering and engaging with landowners across Central Australia to identify and mitigate bushfire risk on the pastoral estate, as well as assisting Aboriginal outstations and communities with reducing bushfire risk around their homes.
“This included an aerial burning program to complete large scale fuel reduction burns near the South Australian border and completing strategic fuel reduction burning within outstations, in partnership with community members, Ingkerreke Outstations Resources Services and the Volunteer Bushfire Brigade.
“Landholders working together and collaboratively, in one of the largest and remotest parts of Australia where firefighting resources are limited, can dramatically reduce their fire risk.”
The Alice Springs Volunteer Bushfire Brigade has also completed more than 190km of roadside fuel reduction burning along major arterial roads within the Alice Springs Fire Protection Zone.
NTFRS Acting Senior Station Officer Jim Bateman said it is vital that landholders communicate their fire plans with people living and working on their property so everyone knows what to do and who to contact in the event of a fire.
“Managing risks is key to good planning and preparation,” A/SSO Bateman said.
“Landholders need to develop a bushfire plan, reduce grass and shrub growth from around your home and buildings, make sure all firefighting equipment is in good working order and that fire access trails within your property are clear and usable to allow firefighting appliances clear and safe access.”
NTFRS and BFNT have an excellent working relationship and will be working closely to ensure that any outbreak of fire is dealt with in a co-ordinated manner.
People should call 000 in an emergency and if you see, hear or know about suspicious activity relating to illegal fires then call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Go to www.nt.gov.au/bushfires for more information about Bushfires NT or www.pfes.nt.gov.au/Fire-and-Rescue.aspx for more information about the NTFRS.
For the latest information on fires and warnings visit http://www.pfes.nt.gov.au/Fire-and-Rescue/Incident-map.aspx
