Bushfires NT (BFNT), Department of Environment, Parks & Water Security (NT), Media Release, 11 July 2022
The highest rainfall in a decade has turned the red earth of Central Australia into a spectacular carpet of green vegetation.
While perennial and annual native species are thriving, so too are the introduced species such as Buffel, Couch and African Love Grass, increasing the risk of wildfires and raising concern for land managers and emergency services.
After five consecutive years of unseasonal dry weather and higher than average temperatures throughout Central Australia, the last two years has seen above average rainfall, this past summer has been the best in a decade.
With that welcome relief comes a cautionary tale. Consecutive wet seasons has prompted a resurgence of annual and perennial native vegetation but the rain is equally a boon for invasive introduced species such as Buffel, Couch and African Love Grass.
That spells fire risk. With recent drier and hotter than average autumn days, the grasses are haying off quickly, increasing the fire risk with heavy fuel loads across the landscape.
Bushfires NT (BFNT) and Parks and Wildlife have been hard at work with NTFRS, DIPL, Alice Springs Town Council and other landholders jointly planning fire mitigation strategies both within Alice Springs municipality and across the region.
Within the Emergency Plan Area of Alice Springs, Parks and Wildlife Rangers have been working closely with NTFRS and Bushfires NT to plan their mitigation strategies including slashing grass, cutting mechanical breaks and conducting planned burns to protect life, infrastructure and areas of high ecological value.
In the Todd and Charles Rivers, the Lhere Mparntwe Management Strategy has guided preventative action undertaken by Department Environment, Parks and Water Security (DEPWS) Weed Management unit in collaboration with the Alice Springs Correctional Services work crews to protect the sacred river red gums.
Further afield, in preparation for the influx of tourists, Lee Gleeson & Kaitlyn McCubbin (BFNT) and Elyce Fraser (NTPWC) recently took to the skies to conduct aerial incendiary burns in the Tjoritja West MacDonnell Ranges National Park and Owen Springs Reserve with excellent results.
In addition, Parks Rangers and volunteers such as those from Friends of the Larapinta Trail, have been busy slashing around camp grounds and park facilities to ensure park users are safe and infrastructure is protected.
Importantly, Parks and Wildlife Rangers are planning more on ground burning with Central Land Council (CLC) Ranger Groups across Central Australia through Joint Park Management Arrangements.
In neighbouring pastoral properties and Aboriginal land, BFNT is assisting land holders and managers to develop fire management plans that best meet their long term goals while being focussed on the short term protection of valued assets.
The sheer magnitude of the task to bring all the players together is a major operation.
The close working relationship between DEPWS personnel from both Parks and Wildlife and Bushfires NT has had a marked and positive impact on this process.
In addition, the collaboration and good will between DEPWS, NTFRS, DIPL, Alice Springs Town Council, CLC and other land holders has been exemplary.
We can only predict what the coming summer may bring us. We don’t know of the challenges that we’ll face.
We do know that BFNT and Parks and Wildlife have planned and are actively preparing for a potentially busy fire season.
That for now, puts us ahead of the game. Well done to all of those involved in our fire preparedness program.
