The return of El Nino conditions and a rapid and early start to the fire season are pertinent reminders of the importance of planning, preparation and personnel when it comes to preventing and combating bush fires, particularly in the challenging terrain typical of forest areas. Source: Timberbiz
Forest contractors are an unsung but critical part of the fire management arrangements, whose knowledge, skill, experience and contribution deserves recognition, General Manager of the Australian Forest Contractors Association Tim Lester said.
“During the 2019-20 summer forest contractors performed an enormous amount of difficult and dangerous work to fight fires and to keep roads and tracks open so other firefighting crews could get in and out,” Mr Lester said.
“This work was often at their own personal cost to save lives, done to protect private property, community assets and important environmental areas.
“They could do it because they were in the right places, had the right equipment and knew what they were doing, thanks to a sustainable, renewable and viable production forestry industry.
“Uncontrolled wildfire is incredibly damaging and one of the major threatening processes that impact on biodiversity. At a landscape scale there is no evidence that managed and sustainable timber harvesting has any influence on the occurrence or severity of fire.
“On the other hand, unmanaged forests have increased risk. It makes no sense to create new conservation areas only to lose all of those plants and animals in a fire,” he said.
“AFCA is incredibly concerned about mounting risks in areas where the contracting workforce has disappearing or been significantly reduced. Who will be there when the fires come?”
