Harden
Indicator: Fire
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
What the results tell us for Harden
Fuel reduction programs to reduce the level of fuel available to burn in a bush fire were undertaken in the Shire during the current reporting period. Examples of hazard reduction strategies undertaken include hazard reduction slashing / trittering and mowing/brushcutting. No hazard reduction burning was undertaken by the Council within the reporting period.
Inappropriate fire frequency is considered a threat to at least one vulnerable mammal species known to occur in the Shire, and inappropriate fire frequencies may put other threatened plant and animal species at risk. Wildlife and habitat corridors in the Shire may also be adversely affected by inappropriate fire regimes.
Up to three threatened ecological communities listed Nationally or in NSW (DECC, 2008a; DECC, 2008b; DEWHA, 2008a) may occur within the Harden Shire. (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). All of these communities are at risk from fire or inappropriate fire regimes (DECC, 2008b, DEWHA, 2008b). No information was available to assess the impact of fire on these communities during the current reporting period.
A Bushfire Risk Management Plan was prepared for the Shire during the previous reporting period to guide fire management strategies and measures there.
Occurrence of fires
Available data indicate that at no prescribed burning was undertaken within Harden Shire during the current reporting period. Programs to reduce the level of fuel available to burn in a bush fire were undertaken in the Shire during the current reporting period.
One wildfire occurred within Harden Shire during the reporting period, however no information is available on the areas burnt by this wildfire.
Impacts of fires on native species and communities
Native animals and plants respond differently to fire. Some can persist under a range of fire regimes. However, in many cases, too frequent fire may harm species directly or preventing them from dispersing, deplete the soil seed bank, or modifying habitat to the extent that they can no longer persist. Planning for threatened species recovery in relation to fire may mean implementing variable fire regimes and excluding those that are detrimental. Fire management may involve managing hazard reduction activities such as slashing and mowing, to reduce the fuel load and therefore the potential for large wild fires.
The impact of fires on native plant and animal species and ecological communities varies with factors such as fire type, intensity and frequency, season of occurrence, and scale and patchiness of the burn. The effects and rate of recovery of plant communities exposed to the impacts of fire may also be affected by broader ecological pressures such as infestation by weeds, grazing pressure, drought, changed hydrology and invasive species.
No information is available on the effects of wildfires and hazard reduction burns on vegetation communities within Harden Shire over the reporting period. The South West District Bush Fire Risk Management Plan (SWDBFMC 2002), which encompasses Harden Shire, outlines fire regime thresholds for vegetation complexes within the Shire. These thresholds indicate where declines in biodiversity are predicted under certain fire conditions.
Impacts on fire sensitive species and communities
No information is available on whether fire sensitive species or communities that occur in Harden Shire were impacted by control or wildfires during the current reporting period.
Potential impacts on threatened species and communities
High frequency fire resulting in the disruption of life cycle processes in plants and animals and loss of vegetation structure and composition was listed as a key threatening process on Schedule three of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (24 March 2000). High fire frequency is considered a threat to a number of threatened species (DECC, 2008c; NSW Scientific Committee 2008), and may put other species at risk. When it occurs, high frequency fire can result in the disruption of life cycle processes in plants and animals and loss of vegetation structure, composition and habitat resources.
Considering threatened species in the Shire, high frequency fire is considered to be a key threatening process to one vulnerable mammal species, the Spotted-tailed Quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) (NSW Scientific Committee, 2008). Other threatened plant and animal species present may also be at risk if subject to fires at an inappropriate frequency, (DEC 2008c; SWDBFMC 2002), including three animal species and four plant species.
- Barking Owl (Ninox connivens)
- Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius)
- Striped Legless Lizard (Delma impar)
- Tarengo Leek Orchid (Prasophyllum petilum)
- Yass Daisy (Ammobium craspedioides)
- Swainson-Pea (Swainsona sericea)
- Crimson spider orchid (Caladenia concolor)
There is one priority action under the ‘habitat management: fire recovery strategy' in the Harden Shire. These actions apply to one threatened species, the Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii ) (DECC, 2008c). A priority action is to ensure that planned burns do not have the potential to destroy nest trees.
Harden Shire contains up to three threatened ecological communities listed as endangered or critically endangered Nationally or in NSW (see Ecological communities) (DECC, 2008a; DECC, 2008b; DEWHA, 2008a). (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). White Box Yellow Box Blakely's Red Gum woodland is listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, White Box Yellow Box Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands and Natural temperate grasslands of the Southern Tablelands of NSW and the ACT communities is listed as endangered under the Commonwealth's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Inappropriate fire regimes are considered a threat to all of these threatened ecological communities (DECC 2008b; DECC 2008d; DEWHA, 2008b).
Potential impacts on other species and communities
Remnant vegetation plays an important role in safeguarding biodiversity in terms of providing habitat requirements for a diverse range of fauna and flora once widespread in Australia. Many of the species they support have become increasingly rare across broad areas of their former distribution due to extensive habitat destruction and modification for agricultural activities. Remnant vegetation, including roadside remnants, is an important refuge for fauna and flora, some of which may be affected by inappropriate fire regimes and/or high frequency fire. The resilience of remnant vegetation to the effects of fire may also be undermined by cumulative effects of other ecological factors including grazing pressure, invasive species, drought and changed hydrology (salinity and/or drainage).
A number of lagoons occur in Harden Shire. Fires near these areas can cause water pollution and damage to banks and reed beds (SWDBFMC 2002). An array of important wildlife and habitat corridors occur on varying land tenures in the Shire (see Ecological Communities). Many of these corridors are vulnerable to the effects of fire because of their fragmented nature.
Fire management
Laws and policies
The Rural Fires Act 1997 is the main state government law relating to fire management in NSW, although the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 also contain clauses relating to fire and fire management. For more information on these laws, see government laws and policies.
The NSW Rural Fire Service has developed several policy documents and guidelines relating to fire management, including the Bush Fire Environmental Assessment Code (RFS 2003) and Planning for Bushfire Protection (RFS and Planning NSW 2001). The former lists threatened species, threatened populations and endangered ecological communities to be addressed when undertaking hazard reduction burns, and specifies conditions relating to the use of fire and mechanical forms of hazard reduction for each species, population or community. The Planning document outlines planning considerations to be taken into account for developments in bushfire prone areas.
South West District Bushfire Management Committee
The South West District Bushfire Management Committee developed a Bushfire Risk Management Plan during the current reporting period (SWDBFMC 2002). This document maps bushfire risk across the Shire and outlines strategies which land managers will undertake to manage identified bushfire risks. The Plan addresses protection of natural and cultural values and protection of life and property.
Council and other land management agencies are required to develop their own programs for implementing the strategies outlined in the bushfire risk management plan. Under this plan, Harden Shire Council has sole responsibility to communicate the plan's objectives and strategies to private land managers and to ensure these strategies are implemented in the Shire.
Harden Shire Council
Council contracts all bushfire related matters to the South West Regional Bushfire Group based in Harden. They develop and implement the strategies outlined in the bushfire risk management plan through the network of Bushfire Brigades and captains. Each brigade has a Publicity Officer and takes responsibility for communicating the risk management plan objectives and strategies to private land managers, and then ensuring the strategies are implemented in the Shire.
Other agencies
Young Rural Lands Protection Board, whose area takes in most of Harden Shire, has a Travelling Stock Reserves management plan which incorporates fire management and details all works for fire management to be undertaken on the reserves (SWDBFMC 2002). Actions within the Young Travelling Stock Reserve Management Plan relating to fire include (Young RLPB 2003):
- strategic burning for weed management on reserves
- routine grazing to minimise bushfire hazard
- reducing threat of fire to adjoining lands.
References
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008a) list of Endangered Populations, Endangered Ecological Communities, Critical Habitat and Key Threatening Processes that may potentially occur within the Harden Shire. shp, provided by ACT Commissioner for the Sustainability and the Environment from Threatened Species Data Officer, Spatial Data Programs, Department of Environment and Climate Change.
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008b), Threatened Species – species, populations and ecological communities in NSW, search on endangered ecological community, viewed 13 October 2008.http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/home_species.aspx
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008c) Threatened Species – species, populations and ecological communities in NSW; Harden Shire Council viewed 13 October 2008, http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/pas_lga_recovery_details.aspx?lga=HardenCootamundra%20Council&type=habitat+management:+fire
Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Commonwealth) (2008a) Environmental Reporting Tool, Database Report, viewed October 2008, http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/erin/ert/ert_dispatch.pl?loc_type=lga&search=Search&report=ert
Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (Commonwealth) (2008b), Biodiversity, search on endangered ecological community viewed October 2008, http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/index.html
NSW Rural Fire Service and Planning NSW (2001) Planning for Bushfire Protection: a guide for Councils, planners, fire authorities, developers and home owners, Planning NSW, viewed 26 August 2005, http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20050302_FC6A22B8.pdf.
NSW Scientific Committee (2008) Ecological consequences of high frequency fires - key threatening process declaration, final determination, accessed 9 October 2008, http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspecies/EcologicalConsequencesFiresKTPListing.htm
South West District Bush Fire Management Committee (2002) South West District Bush Fire Management Committee – Bush Fire Risk Management Plan, NSW Rural Fire Service.
Young Rural Lands Protection Board (2003) Young RLPB TSR Management Plan 2003–2008, Young Rural Lands Protection Board, Young, viewed 29 May 2006, http://www.rlpb.org.au/southern_tablelands/young/local/management_plans/man_plan.htm.
