THE region’s forestry industry has called for cross-border firefighting resources to be significantly bolstered amid fire events destroying $18m worth of plantation estates.
Industry leaders are also pushing for fire bombing aircraft – stationed in the region – not to be parked in Adelaide during the height of summer, which had delayed the immediate deployment of firefighting aerial capacity.
While the official fire season ended last week, regional plantation owners are still counting the cost of 40,000 hectares of plantations impacted by fire in the Limestone Coast and South West Victoria.
Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub – representing regional plantation owners and processors – has revealed these fire events included the loss of 1250 hectares of plantation estate valued at more than $18m.
Hub executive general manager Liz McKinnon said cross-border fire events, such as the 900-hectare Kentbruck forest blaze near Nelson, illustrated the need for a uniform communication system across state borders.
She said there was confusion surrounding state, volunteer and company-based radio channels.
“Border fire events this season reiterated the need to have greater cross border harmonisation, streamlining policies and procedures to dispel confusion on the fire line,” Ms McKinnon said.
“There are instances where some units are carrying up to five different radios at border fire events to keep in touch with each of the appliances movements to ensure they are armed with the latest information.”
The industry leader said there was no unity in radio communication, which increased safety and coordination challenges.
Ms McKinnon said this was simply unacceptable.
The hub’s submission to the SA bush fire inquiry urged the State Government to investigate introducing a singular, fire training and accreditation model such as the Country Fire Authority Forest Industry Brigade system to support the forestry sector’s 230 fire-trained personnel.
The Green Triangle Fire Alliance, supported by the long-standing Forest Owners Conference, has been formed to generate greater coordination of resources in both states.
Alliance chair and Mount Gambier-based Green Triangle Forest Products managing director Laurie Hein said local foresters were paying for staff to undertake both Country Fire Service and CFA training.
“There is strong evidence to support a national accreditation and training model to allow strike teams to confidently and efficiently respond to any fire event, whether it’s in the Green Triangle or any state or territory knowing they are property equipped and accredited,” Mr Hein said.
“There is widespread support for the extension of the CFA Forest Industry Brigade model, which has a distinct training focus on fighting plantation fires, which is a very different practice to a structure or grass fire event.”
Under the current CFS model, personnel are being trained on attending an array of emergencies including such things as car accidents and structural fires.
According to the industry, this has little relevance to plantation fires and in some cases requires specialist breathing apparatus.
“The implementation of the CFA FIB model in South Australia would overcome these training issues, stopping repetition of training models and ensure our community and assets have even greater protection,” Mr Hein added.
Mr Hein said the cross-border management strategy extended to aerial appliances, which must work seamlessly and respond efficiently in either state for the full extent of the fire season.
While six aircraft were committed to protecting the region, there have been delays in responding to some local fire events.
“There have also been instances during high fire danger days last season the two fire bombers which are to protect the Limestone Coast region were parked in Adelaide, forced to travel up to 500km in a fire event,” Mr Hein said.
“The Kentbruck fire was a clear illustration of the necessity of having firefighting aerial capacity at hand to respond immediately.
“There is a view that if bombers had been available and dispatched in the initial stages of that fire it could have possibly been quickly contained, potentially saving hundreds of hectares of plantation and reducing the threat to neighbouring communities and landowners.”
