By STEVE GRAY
NEW firebreaks should reduce the risk of fire in a suburban nature reserve in Warwick.
Rosenthal Heights residents are concerned the fuel load on Everest Reserve could endanger their properties.
Southern Downs Regional Council has approved two new firebreaks in the reserve to allow greater access for firefighters and their equipment.
However councillors agreed more needs to be done to lower the potential for fire to damage the reserve itself, or escape into neighbouring properties.
The land is leased to the all-volunteer Society for Growing Australian Plants (SGAP).
Deputy Mayor Ross Bartley argued for “crash-grazing” of the reserve. This involves allowing grazing stock onto the land for just enough time to consume the high grass, but not enough time to be tempted by native plants.
He said he was concerned about using firebreaks as the main fire control mechanism.
“Not even the Hume Highway is a big enough firebreak,” he said.
Some areas around an old quarry are too steep for firebreaks to be cut, but they could be crash-grazed, Cr Bartley said.
He said he understood the terms of the lease were that the property should be “depastured”.
“Crash-grazing just gives it a prune,” Cr Bartley said.
The land was grazed for 50 years before it became a nature reserve, he said.
“The grazing wasn’t detrimental to the native vegetation,” he said.
“There’s a balance here between human life and native vegetation.”
Cr Pennisi backed the crash-grazing option and urged its immediate implementation.
“It’s better to do it now than ask questions later,” he said.
Concern was also expressed that the clearing of firebreaks could leave growing mounds of cut grass as fuel.
Other councillors said the society’s lease precluded any grazing animal and would need to be renegotiated.
Council decided it will further investigate the possibility of changing the lease to allow crash-grazing of the Everest Reserve.
