Drought puts focus on fire management

WITH almost 80 per cent of Queensland now drought declared, understanding and managing fire is even more important than ever.
The Condamine Alliance is helping to share knowledge on effective fire management practice for the catchment through their new Wildfire information session in Millmerran on 25 March.
Supported by the Condamine Alliance, through funding from the Australian Government, the event is being held in Millmerran on 25 March from 9am to noon at Back Creek Park.
The session brings together Andrew Houley, biodiversity services co-ordinator at Reef Catchments in Mackay, and other leading fire experts to discuss approaches to controlling the impacts of fire.
“Protecting our environmental assets through effective fire management is crucial,” said Mr Houley. “And it is not just about what is happening right now”.
“Fire has always had an important role in Australian culture, from Aboriginal burning practices and smoking ceremonies to today’s burn-offs and bushfires.”
“For thousands of years, Aboriginal people have used fire in some way to hunt and keep country healthy. Early European settlers wrote of the skill and careful expertise used by Aboriginal people, a skill that they did not themselves possess”.
“This knowledge is an important part of Australia’s fire story and a key part of protecting our land in the future”, Mr Houley said.
Combining both traditional Aboriginal and modern approaches, Wildfire seeks to highlight stories of the past and priorities for the future.
For more information on the Wildfire session contact Leanne Griffin on 0407 360 897.