All fired up on the border
From the Summer 2007 edition of Bush Telegraph Magazine.
This border photo of a NSW pine plantation and the Victorian native forest (right) shows the importance of cooperative management of fire, with only 100 metres separating them. Photo by Mark Chaplin.
Cross border coordination of resources and strategies is proving essential in dealing with bushfires in south east NSW.
Forests NSW acting Monaro Region manager, Mark Chaplin, said cross border operational agreements ensured that NSW and Victorian fire authorities and land manag-ers worked towards common goals in relation to such things as communication systems and training in fire suppression.
“The combination of cross border personnel and fire fighting machinery and equipment is the only way to address dangerous and fluid situations,” he said.
Forests NSW plantation and native forest staff have been actively working with Victorian firefighting staff from Department of Sustainability and the Environment, Country Fire Authority, Parks Victoria and a number of other agencies to draft and monitor procedures for community and asset protection around the towns of Dele-gate, Bendoc, Bombala, Wonboyn, Eden, Mallacoota and Orbost.
“These small communities on the border rely heavily on cross border cooperation when it comes to fire. This season is not looking good and we want to be ready with common fire control procedures,” Mark said.
He said previous fire paths had demonstrated the devastating impact of large landscape fires in the border country, including the loss of 6300 hectares of pine planta-tion at Bondi State Forest in 1983.
Forests NSW Monaro Region manages approximately 37000 hectares of state-owned pine, while Forests NSW Eden Management Area encompasses approxi-mately 163000 hectares of valuable native forest timber and ecological resources.
“Our combined firefighting resource in the region is approximately 90 personnel. This skilled resource combined with help from across the border means the region is well prepared for the fire season,” Mark said.
Sarah Chester Public Affairs & Media, Albury
