Upper Lachlan
Indicator: Fire
Results for this indicator are also available for [an error occurred while processing this directive]
What the results tell us for Upper Lachlan
No data was available on the amount of land were burnt in Upper Lachlan Shire during the current reporting period from prescribed burns or wildfires. No information was available on the effects of fire on fire sensitive vegetation communities that occur in the Shire.
The NSW Rural Fire Service considers there should be no prescribed fire in populations of 13 threatened plant and animal species that occur in the Shire.
High fire frequency is considered a threat to at least five vulnerable or endangered plant and animal species known to occur there, and inappropriate fire frequencies may put more threatened plant and animal species at risk (NSW Scientific Committee, 2008). Fire is considered a priority management action for one threatened fauna species and two threatened plant species (DECC, 2008c). Inappropriate fire frequencies may put more threatened plant and animal species at risk.
Upper Lachlan Shire may have occurrences of four threatened ecological communities listed nationally or in NSW (DECC, 2008a; DECC, 2008b; DEWHA, 2008a). (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). All of these ecological communities are threatened by 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.
The Gunning and Crookwell draft Bush Fire Management Plans guide fire management strategies and measures within the Upper Lachlan Shire.
Occurrence of fires
No available data was available on the amount of land were burnt in Upper Lachlan Shire during the current reporting period from prescribed burns.
Five wildfires occurred within Upper Lachlan Shire during the current reporting period. No information was available on areas burnt by these wildfires during the current reporting period. One of these was designated a Class 3 fire, which are major fires that have the potential to reach a size that can’t be controlled by available resources, requiring a multi-agency response.
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 by killing them, preventing them from spreading, depleting the soil seed bank, or modifying their habitat. 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 prevent these activities from impacting on species and their habitats.
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. It may also be affected by broader human induced ecological factors such as infestation by weeds, changed hydrology and vegetation clearing.
No information is available on the effects of wildfires and hazard reduction burns on vegetation communities within the Upper Lachlan Shire over the reporting period. The bushfire characteristics of major vegetation types in the Shire are outlined in the Upper Lachlan Bush Fire Management Plan (ULBFMC 2000, Section 2.2.3).
Impacts on fire sensitive species and communities
No information is available on the impacts of fire on fire-sensitive communities occurring in Upper Lachlan Shire.
The Southern Coastal Hinterland Dry Gully Rainforest community which occurs in the Shire would be at risk from fire. The NSW Rural Fire Service (2003) recommends there should be no prescribed fire in rainforest vegetation.
Potential impacts on threatened species and communities
The NSW Rural Fire Service (2003) recommends that there be no prescribed fire in populations of one threatened plant species recorded in Upper Lachlan Shire.
Of the remaining threatened plant and animal species that occur in the area, high frequency fire is considered to be a threatening process for one mammal species (Squirrel Glider, Petaurus norfolcensis) and two bird species (Glossy Black Cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus lathami; Malleefowl, Leiopoa ocellata) (NSW Scientific Committee, 2008). Other threatened plant and animal species present in the Shire may also be at risk if subject to fires at an inappropriate frequency.
Some of the threatened plant and animal species known to be associated with these communities (SWDBFMC 2002) that occur or are predicted to occur in the Shire (see Native species) are also at risk from inappropriate fire regimes namely:
- Barking Owl (Ninox connivens),
- Bush Stone-curlew (Burhinus grallarius),
- Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolor),
- Aromatic Peppercress (Lepidium hyssopifolium) and
- Yass Daisy (Ammobium craspedioides).
There are four priority actions under the "habitat management: fire" recovery strategy in the Upper Lachlan Council. These actions apply to three threatened species (DECC, 2008c). One of the priority actions to conserve the Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsonii ) is to insure that planned burns do not have the potential to destroy nest trees (DECC, 2008c).
Priority actions to conserve the Eastern Bentwing-bat (Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis) include to exclude prescription burns from 100m from cave entrance, ensure smoke/flames of fires do not enter caves/roosts in artificial structures, and prepare fire management plans for significant roost caves, disused mines, culverts, especially maternity and winter roosts. Priority actions to conserve the Common Blossom-bat (Syconycteris australis) include developing burning strategies that reduce impacts on preferred habitat in known foraging areas (DECC, 2008c).
Upper Lachlan Shire may have occurrences of four threatened ecological communities listed nationally or in NSW (DECC, 2008a; DECC, 2008b; DEWHA, 2008a) (Note: threatened ecological community lists are generated based on Bioregions). Two threatened ecological communities are listed under the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995, two are listed under the under the Commonwealth's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
All of these threatened ecological communities are considered at risk from inappropriate fire regimes and/or high intensity fires (DECC, 2008b, DEWHA, 2008b). Significant ecological damage may result from fire in the endangered 'Montane peatlands and swamps of the New England Tableland, NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin, South East Corner, South Eastern Highlands and Australian Alps bioregions' community (DECC, 2008b). Fuzzy Box Woodland on alluvial Soils of the South Western Slopes; Darling Riverine Plains and Brigalow Belt South Bioregions is threatened by a lack of fire.
Inappropriate fire regimes are considered a threat to the endangered 'White Box Yellow Box Blakely's Red Gum woodland, 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 (DECC 2008b; DEWHA 2008b). No information was available to assess the impact of inappropriate fire regimes on these communities during the current reporting period.
Potential impacts on other species and communities
Important remnants of native vegetation may occur in travelling stock reserves, cemeteries and crown reserves. No other information was located on the extent to which such communities in the Shire may be threatened or have been affected by fire.
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.
Gunning and Crookwell Bushfire Management Committees
The Gunning and Crookwell Bush Fire Management Committees have developed draft Bushfire Risk Management Plans (GBFMC undated; CBFMC undated) in which bushfire risk is mapped across these former Shires which now comprise much of Upper Lachlan Shire. They also outline strategies that land managers will undertake to manage identified bushfire risks. The plans address protection of natural and cultural values and protection of life and property, and also provide information relating to threatened species, populations, communities and critical habitat. They refer to approved recovery plans and the specific fire management requirements for each species or community.
Shire Council and other land management agencies are required to develop their own programs for implementing the strategies outlined in these bushfire risk management plans. Upper Lachlan Shire Council has sole responsibility to communicate the objectives and strategies of these plans to private land managers and to ensure these strategies are implemented in the Shire.
Other agencies
The Goulburn, Yass and Central Tablelands Rural Lands Protection Boards' administrative areas partially cover Upper Lachlan Shire. Each of these boards has a management plan for travelling stock routes which includes monitoring grazing for bushfire management on travelling stock routes within the board area. Actions within Travelling Stock Reserve management plans relating to fire include (Goulburn RLPB 2003; Yass RLPB 2006; Central Tablelands RLPB 2003):
- monitor seasonal fuel loadings
- use grazing management to minimise bushfire hazard
- ensure fire management plans promote biodiversity by undertaking mosaic burnings
- include bushfire management strategies in individual reserve management plans that complement vegetation management strategies
- ensure management burns are approved
- prohibit use of campfires in reserves during bushfire season
- participate in hazard reduction programs
- restrict grazing of areas following fires to allow for natural regeneration and flowering/seeding and
- reduce threat of fire to adjoining lands and Board infrastructure.
References
CBFMC—see Crookwell Bush Fire Management Committee
Central Tablelands RLPB—see Central Tablelands Rural Lands Protection Board
Central Tablelands Rural Lands Protection Board (2003) Central Tablelands Rural Lands Protection Board Travelling Stock Reserves Function Management Plan—a strategic direction for five years for 2003 to 2008, Central Tablelands Rural Lands Protection Board.
Crookwell Bush Fire Management Committee (undated) Draft Bush Fire Risk Management Plan, Crookwell Shire Council, Crookwell.
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 BOOROWA Lga.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 14 June 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 , Recovery and threat abatement, Upper Lachlan Shire Council, viewed 13 October 2008, http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/pas_lga_recovery_
details.aspx?lga=Upper Lachlan Shire%20Valley%20Shire%20Council&type=habitat+management:+fire
Department of Environment and Climate Change (2008d), Nature conservation, searches for specific endangered ecological communities, http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/natureconservation.htm
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
GBFMC—see Gunning Bush Fire Management Committee
Goulburn RLPB—see Goulburn Rural Lands Protection Board
Goulburn Rural Lands Protection Board (2003) Goulburn Rural Lands Protection Board TSR Function Management Plan, Goulburn Rural Lands Protection Board.
Gunning Bush Fire Management Committee (undated) Draft Bush Fire Risk Management Plan, Gunning Shire Council, Gunning.
M/GBFMC—see Mulwaree/Goulburn Bush Fire Management Committee
Mulwaree/Goulburn Bush Fire Management Committee (2003) Bush Fire Risk Management Plan, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Goulburn.
NSW Rural Fire Service (2003) Bush Fire Environmental Assessment Code for Asset Protection and Strategic Fire Advantage Zones, NSW Rural Fire Service.
NSW Scientific Committee (2008) Ecological consequences of high frequency fires - key threatening process declaration, final determination, accessed 13 October 2008, http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/npws.nsf/Content/Ecological+ consequences+of+high+frequency+fires+key+threatening+process+declaration.
Yass RLPB—see Yass Rural Lands Protection Board
Yass Rural Lands Protection Board (2006) Yass Rural Lands Protection Board TSR Management Plan 2006, Yass Rural Lands Protection Board.
