VicForests harvest and haulage contractors put out-of-work by the Andrews government’s closure of the native forest industry will be put back on departmental books to help clear strategic fire breaks. Source: Weekly Times
The harvesters and their machinery were left sitting idle after the government fast-forwarded its intended 2030 phase out of native forest timber harvesting to January 1, 2024 after a court decision last November locked the workers out of the state’s native forests.
However, Forest Fire Management Victoria chief fire officer Chris Hardman has confirmed to The Weekly Times that planning was “underway” for the crews to be offered Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action land and fire management works contracts.
“We acknowledge the hardworking and specialised contribution of timber industry contractors to bushfire management works in Victoria – they are and will continue to be an integral part of the work FFMVic does to minimise bushfire risk and keep communities safe,” he said.
“Using their valuable skills and equipment as we continue to manage our forests and prepare for and respond to fires.”
The news comes as fire authorities race to clear elevated fuel loads in state forests and follows a report the upcoming bushfire season will see the most significant threat of bushfire since the ‘black summer’ of 2019-20.
Meanwhile, 25 of the state’s 27 harvest and haulage crews have been on VicForests stand-down payments since last year’s Supreme Court decision.
A departmental source said that, as those contracts will expire on 30 June 2024, crews will be offered “a program” of forest and fire management works for the upcoming season.
This could include creating fire breaks from the NSW border to Orbost, in the state’s east identified in the report as a high-risk area.
While the finer contractual arrangements are being worked through across “various agencies”, the intention is for contractors to be offered alternative forest and land management works contracts into the future.
DEECA recently awarded contracts to civil construction companies to clear fire breaks.
