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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley
Region of Western Australia
Report of the Kimberley Regional Fire Management
Project
(Natural Heritage Trust project no. 013005E)
2004Executive Summary
Contents
Volume 1
Foreword
Executive Summary
Appendix 1 - Outcomes and Recommendations
Appendix 2 - Contributors to Stage 1
Volume 2
Chapter 1 Bushfires and Burning – Aspects of Aboriginal Knowledge and Practice
of the Kimberley
Chapter 2 Pastoral Property Fire Management Practices and Kimberley Grasslands Curing
Chapter 3 Biodiversity Conservation
Chapter 4 A Preliminary Economic Assessment of Fire management in the Kimberley
Chapter 5 Communications, Publicity and Publications
Chapter 6 Remote Sensing & GIS
Department of Land Information
Fire and Emergency Services Authority
North
KAPA
Kimberley
Land
Conservation
District Our Land, Our
Committee Business
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
Foreword
The Kimberley Regional Fire Management Project (KRFMP) came to fruition in mid-2000,
thanks to the guiding commitment of a consortium of key community and agency
partners—
KAPA—Kimberley Aboriginal Pastoralists Association
the four Kimberley LCDCs—Land Conservation District Committees
the four Kimberley Shires (Broome, Derby-West Kimberley, Halls Creek, Wyndham-East
Kimberley)
KLC—Kimberley Land Council
PGA—Pastoralists & Graziers Association of WA
TSCRC—Tropical Savannas Cooperative Research Centre
Western Australia Government Agencies—
DAWA—Department of Agriculture WA
CALM—Department of Conservation & Land Management
DLI—Department of Land Information
FESA—Fire & Emergency Services Authority
together with the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT), to collectively find better ways to address
serious fire management issues affecting all sectors of the Kimberley community, and the
ecological integrity of the country itself. As summarised in the original proposal, the specific
objectives of the KRFMP during its first proposed three year phase were as follows—
“This community-directed project will demonstrate new approaches to fire management in the
Kimberley region suited to the needs of different land use sectors. The project has four inter-linked
components: firstly, the development of improved fire management practices at property level for
pastoral, Aboriginal and conservation tenures in at least two districts. Secondly, the project will
assist Aboriginal communities to document elders’ traditional knowledge relating to landscape fire.
Thirdly, we seek to improve the accuracy and utility of remote sensing products relevant to fire
management. Finally, the project will focus on skills development and communicating fire
management information to land managers and the wider community.”
As it happens the first phase of the project was funded for only two years and, as this report
amply documents, much was achieved in that time. Today, building on that base, the
KRFMP continues to develop and communicate its community-focused program, still with
strong support from its original community and agency partners and the NHT. After all,
addressing chronic fire management problems at the vast landscape scales of the Kimberley,
with its sparse, culturally diverse population, the limited, mostly pastorally-focused
infrastructure, the scant economic opportunities especially for indigenous youth, and, just as
important, remoteness from the political gaze (some might say, enduring interest) of
Perth...collectively does require tenacity and long-term commitment. Sustainable fire
management in the Kimberley is not simply about managing fires! Building community
capacity, through information transfer, skills development, job creation, promoting cross-
cultural and –sectoral understanding and benefits, etc., is fundamental also.
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
Importantly, the success of the project has been achieved despite, at times, difficult
circumstances to contend with—personal adversity, ever-changing NHT funding
arrangements, consuming issues of a political dimension. It has not always been easy. One
should not forget that the KRFMP was a creation of the Kimberley political landscape—and
some core institutional members otherwise still find need to communicate in court. For
such reasons especially, I pay tribute to the commitment of extremely capable project staff,
and the generous guidance and understanding of management and technical committee
members. Indeed, as mentioned elsewhere in this report, the KRFMP continues to provide
an excellent example of how a complex community project can be cooperatively
implemented.
Jeremy Russell - Smith
KRFMP Management Committee
December 2004
Be Advised
This report may contain images of Aboriginal people who have died since the time of it’s
production, it should therefore be used with caution by people from the communities who
contributed to this report.
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
Executive Summary
The Kimberley Regional Fire Management Project (KRFMP) commenced operation in mid-
2000 with the aim of addressing significant fire management problems in the vast Kimberley
region of Western Australia, particularly:
strategic fire management - especially the control of extensive and intense late dry
season wildfires;
sustainability of pastoral systems - especially retention of perennial grass cover and
control of woody weeds;
conservation of significant habitats and associated flora and fauna - especially
associated with rainforest patches and vast, remote sandstone areas;
the limited human, information and material infrastructure resources available in the
Region to undertake effective, conservative fire management.
This report documents the activities undertaken by KRFMP over the ensuing 26 months, until
the end of February 2003, with funding provided by the Natural Heritage Trust.
As stated in the original application, the longer-term aims of the project were to:
promote the ongoing development and refinement of informed, conservative fire
management practice especially through the implementation of preventative early dry
season burning (or other fuel reduction techniques) as a means to better control the
currently extensive, intense, destructive, late dry season wildfires;
use the information assembled as part of the (Kimberley Regional Fire Management
Project) to assist the development of regional and property-scale best-practice
guidelines for lands managed under different land-use objectives;
involve the regional community effectively in the implementation of the program.
These broad objectives were to be addressed through the implementation of eight focused actions
as outlined in the original proposal. Progress made against each of those required actions is
summarised below:
(i) Formation of community-based management committee charged with responsibility for
overseeing and implementing the proposed program, for developing management tools and
informing the regional community of options for best management practice on all land
tenure types, and developing an ongoing strategy for fire management in the Kimberley
A Management Committee was established prior to the commencement of the project and was
subsequently incorporated so as to be eligible to receive NHT and other funding. During the period
covered by this report, the Management Committee consisted of 10 representatives of pastoral,
Indigenous, and other land use and fire management interests, including State agencies and local
government,
Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) ▪ Kimberley Land Council (KLC) ▪
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
Kimberley Aboriginal Pastoralists Association (KAPA) ▪ Country Shires Association ▪ Fire and
Emergency Services Authority (FESA) ▪ Department Conservation and Land Management
(CALM) ▪ Cooperative Research Centre – Tropical Savannas Management ▪ Kimberley Landcare
District Committees.
The Management Committee also had an independent Chair, a person “who in the opinion of a
majority of the other members is capable of representing the broad community interests of the
Kimberley Region”.
The Management Committee met together formally on six occasions and by teleconference a
further 15 times (effectively a meeting or teleconference every 1.2 months).
The Management Committee was supported by a Technical Committee which included, in addition
to many of the above organisations, representatives of the WA Department of Agriculture and the
Department of Land Administration (now Department of Land Information).
The main body of this report addresses the remaining 7 actions as follows.
(ii) Undertake thorough documentation of best fire management practice for sustainable
pastoralism, biodiversity conservation, traditional Aboriginal approaches, and broad
community issues and aspirations
These issues were canvassed in a number of activities undertaken by KRFMP. Specific projects
were undertaken to document contemporary pastoral and indigenous fire management practices.
Assessment of current pastoral fire management practices was undertaken firstly via an in-depth
survey of 16 owner/managers (15% of Kimberly pastoral leases), including family, indigenous, and
company enterprises. Interim best management practice pastoral guidelines, developed by KRFMP
Technical Committee member Andrew Craig (Department of Agriculture WA, Kununurra), are
included here as an attachment. Secondly, a detailed assessment of the effectiveness of the 2002
aerial control burning (ACB) program conducted on behalf of property managers by Fire and
Emergency Services Authority (FESA) was undertaken. Using the flight lines recorded with GPS
technology, the effectiveness of the ACB program was assessed with reference to resultant fires,
mapped from Landsat satellite “quick-look” images available freely on the Australian Centre for
Remote Sensing (ACRES) web-site. The effectiveness of ACB’sin restricting other later season fries
was also assessed.
Indigenous knowledge and practices were documented during targeted educational and participatory
planning exercises in a number of regional Indigenous communities. No assessment of best
practice fire management for biodiversity outcomes was undertaken by the project as these have
recently been addressed through the publication, Savanna burning: understanding and using fire in northern
Australia, published by the Tropical Savannas Cooperative Research Centre (TSCRC) and funded
substantially by the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT). However, a relatively detailed assessment of
impacts of contemporary fire regimes on regional biodiversity, fauna especially, was undertaken by
KRFMP; this is commented on more fully under below.
Major findings of the pastoral survey included: (a) other than some use of ACB operations (see
below), relatively little preventative early dry season burning is undertaken on most pastoral
properties; (b) substantial costs are incurred annually to fight wildfires; (c) besides limited resources
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
of time and equipment, respondents overwhelmingly identified the need for ongoing education and
awareness in dealing with fire management issues in the Kimberley.
The ACB assessment found that, of 7300 km of flight lines flown by (FESA) on behalf of property
owners between 15th March and 9th May 2002, over half this length produced fires which could
be readily mapped from Landsat Quicklooks. Continuity of ignited fire-line was generally low. The
median fire size ignited from ACB was 2.92 km2; the largest being 1,721 km2. Over 72% of
successfully ignited ACB fire lines assisted in the reduction or spread of wildfires later in the season.
On the basis of this assessment, and other information obtained through the pastoral survey, it is
proposed to extend the assessment of ACB effectiveness in stage 2 of the project, particularly with
respect to specific properties where ACB operations are undertaken through the year.
Major findings of the indigenous knowledge project included: (a) that the level of knowledge and
understanding of traditional fire practice varied widely amongst participants; (b) people tended to be
cautious about burning, being very aware of broader community sentiment, legal threats and fines;
and (c) while traditional systems of fire management have largely been subsumed over the past 100
years by the needs of the cattle industry, there remains general recognition of the importance of
customary rights, prohibitions and responsibilities concerning burning country, including the
primacy of the rights of traditional owners on their own country. A major practical finding of the
project has been identification of the need to involve younger indigenous people in fire and land
management programs. This has been translated into the development of a project involving ‘fire
control teams’, now being established in two remote communities as part of the second stage of
KRFMP, now funded through NHT.
(iii) Assess the accuracy of current NOAA-AVHRR satellite fire monitoring in the
region as undertaken by the Remote Sensing Section of the Department of Land
Information (DLI), as a means for improving the reliability of such information for use by
land managers. Develop a detailed recent fire history of the region as a basis for fire
management planning. Improve systems for the dissemination of these data to end-users.
Fire mapping information for the Kimberley using the coarse-resolution AVHRR sensor extends
back to 1993. This mapping is undertaken by DLI in Perth, as part of a national fire mapping
program. An accuracy assessment of fire mapping was undertaken in 2001. Mapping reliability was
shown to generally represent the distribution of both early and late dry season fires at a regional
scale, although many fires were missed, and many others falsely recorded. While such findings are
not new, it illustrates the issues that: (a) such products need to be cautiously interpreted on a
property or paddock scale; and (b) there is thus an associated need to assist land managers to
interpret and use such products for their own management.
A related activity involved the distribution of daily ‘hot spot’ (fire occurrence) data to interested
properties throughout the region through a fax-out service (Firefax) provided by DLI. By August
2002, 45 properties were receiving Firefax, with the locations of hot spots and property boundaries
superimposed on a topographic map background. From a survey conducted late in 2002 it was
found that the great majority of managers found Firefax useful, although it is evident that in the
future the service should increasingly become email based given the rapid take-up of Broadband
internet access available through Telstra. Given the interest shown generally by the Kimberley
community in fire mapping products, a major focus of KRFMP stage 2 will be to: (a) further
develop the dissemination of Firefax and related products; and (b) provide direct technical
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
assistance to property managers and communities to help them download and interpret (with GIS),
digital fire mapping and related products.
(iv) Assess the practicability and applicability of current state legislation and regulations to
fire management requirements in the Kimberley
While the Management Committee recognises the need for undertaking such assessment, especially
given that the Western Australian Bushfires Act 1954 and the administrative and regulatory
arrangements it sets out is overdue for a major overhaul, it was not feasible to pursue this to any
significant extent through this phase of the KRFMP. It is proposed, however, that a sub-committee
be formed early in the life of the ongoing project to develop a position paper representing the
particular needs of the Kimberley community (and probably Pilbara also) — see also comments
under (vii) below.
(v) Demonstration and documentation of property-based, cooperative approaches to fire
management in at least two local areas in the Kimberley, in high and low rainfall zones
respectively
Through pastoral interviews and on ground biodiversity work across a range of tenures, approaches
to fire management were documented. Issues investigated included:
Past and present fire management practices – how fire management at the property
level has been undertaken and any significant changes in practice over time;
Reasons for burning – time of year, equipment used;
Fire management at the property level and with neighbours – ways to make fire
management more effective, and ideas on how to strengthen communication with
neighbours if necessary
There have been major changes to the pastoral industry during the past 50 years. A profound one is
that fewer staff, particularly Aboriginal people, are employed on pastoral leases. As a consequence,
aerial mustering has largely replaced mustering on horseback, and ACB has become the main tool
for early dry season burning. These contemporary pastoral and fire management techniques have
possibly contributed to a greater economic return for the pastoral industry but have not necessarily
improved environmental sustainability. Analyses of the interaction among environmental, social and
economic factors associated with fire management offer a major challenge.
Cooperation and communication was considered important by everyone interviewed, and there was
a range of suggestions on how this could be improved including:
Better coordination and working together between managers and neighbouring
properties
Regular sub-regional meetings between neighbouring stations to discuss fire
management
(vi) Assessment of the rates of biomass/fuel accumulation for different pasture/fuel
types, curing rates of different species, and associated development of automated satellite-
based monitoring
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
In the Sturt Plateau and Victoria River Districts of the Northern Territory (NT), a photo based
grasslands fuel guide was produced via NHT funds in 2001. The grasslands fuel guide is seen as a
practical way to assist land managers estimate fuel characteristics for strategic fire management and
wildfire prevention. The KRFMP has produced a similar publication based on the NT methodology
using four main habitat types in the Kimberley. The Kimberley curing rate work has demonstrated
that there is a small window of opportunity for safe and effective hazard reduction burning generally
between April through to May. The Kimberley Grasslands Curing Field Guide will assist land managers
and various government agencies in strategic early dry season fire management. The work was done
collaboratively between KRFMP the Department of Agriculture and FESA.
(vii) Assessment of the ecological effects of burning on regional communities and species
Wildlife surveys (vertebrates and invertebrates) were undertaken in four major habitat types in the
Kimberley over two field seasons. Results from this work have demonstrated that fauna remains
reasonably intact only in the rugged sandstone areas, where some mammal species known to be
vulnerable elsewhere in northern Australia were found. Fires tend to be patchy in the sandstone
country due to the rocky and dissected topography. This can promote different burn ages of
vegetation, necessary for the survival of some Australian mammal species. Even so, the long-term
sustainability of biodiversity for the sandstone areas would appear to be compromised because this
area is regularly affected by large hot dry season fires. The fire history, particularly for the sandstone
areas, demonstrates that fires burn over a large area and mainly during the hot late dry season. These
late dry season fires, left unmanaged, could have potentially serious consequences for small to
medium size mammals and obligate seeder plant species.
The invertebrate component of the project has yielded very many ant species that are new to
science, and more generally has made a highly significant contribution to our understanding of the
systematics and biogeography of Australian ants.
We suggest that, in order to maintain high fauna richness particularly for some mammals, fire
frequency and the spatial extent of fires will need to be reduced considerably below what currently
exists: the current regime is reducing structural diversity and important food and habitat resources.
(viii) Provide an economic assessment of different fire management options, including
issues concerning long-term sustainability of pastoral resources (e.g. perennial grasses;
woody regrowth control) and biodiversity
Given that an economic resource assessment of issues concerning long-term sustainability of pastoral resources
has been undertaken recently through the partly NHT-funded project, Sustainable fire management for
the Sturt Plateau and Victoria River District, NT 1 , it was not considered appropriate to repeat that work
here, especially given the substantial data and modelling resource requirements involved. Rather, an
economic consultant with considerable experience in the Kimberley was engaged to examine the
social and economic policy context of regional fire management for the purposes of ‘encouraging an
understanding of interrelationships which exists between social, environmental, economic and
political issues’.
1Dyer R, Stafford Smith M. 2003. Fire and pastoral management: models and tradeoffs. International Journal of
Wildland Fire, in review.
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
Major recommendations of that broader economic assessment include the need for: (a) assessing the
cost-effectiveness of current public sector expenditures on fire management; (b) contributing to the
current review of pastoral leasehold in Western Australia; (c) contributing to Western Australian
Sustainable Development Strategy, and assessment of Western Australian Bushfires Act 1954; (d)
involving Indigenous land owners, particularly young people; and (e) exploring emerging economic
opportunities created through reducing greenhouse emissions from savanna fires, woody
sequestration (i.e. storage of carbon in woody vegetation), and carbon trading.
The main body of this report details the work undertaken, results and recommendations arising
from each of the eight component activities above. Recommendations and overall project
outcomes, together with specific actions proposed by the Management Committee, are given in
Appendix 1.
Finally, we note that the community partnership assembled here to provide oversight of the
KRFMP has provided an excellent example of how regionally based projects can be cooperatively
managed. Both Management and Technical Committees have demonstrated how people from
diverse backgrounds, and with diverse social, economic and cultural interests, can work together
effectively. See Appendix 2 for committee contributors.
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
Appendix 1 OUTCOMES/RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Indigenous land management and fire practice
1.1 Outcome/ Recommendation
KRFMP will establish and support Aboriginal fire management teams devoted to specific land
areas and guide the operation of these teams so as to combine traditionally derived and scientific
information. KRFMP will support collaboration of teams with both knowledgeable senior
people and relevant agencies and will encourage people to identify the relations between burning
and resource management.
Specific Action Required
KRFMP#2 Business Plan will address availability and deployment of the project’s human and
financial resources to implement this recommendation.
1.2 Outcome/ Recommendation
KRFMP will seek opportunities to record further, detailed information on Aboriginal burning
practice for specific land areas (smaller than subregional scale) preferably in the context of the
on-ground burning by Fire Management Teams rather than by a purely research based project.
Specific Action Required
Refer to Project personnel charged with design and delivery of Fire Management Teams in
KRFMP#2 Business Plan.
1.3 Outcome/ Recommendation
KRFMP will consult and where possible, actively involve Aboriginal people and neighbouring
landholders in developing burn strategies on lands they own or have an interest in. This could
be through action planning and review workshops where scientific and Aboriginal information
is exchanged and a burn program for the forthcoming year is planned using appropriate
combinations of foot, vehicle and aerial techniques.
In other respects, KRFMP and Project partners will support appropriate on-ground fire
management by Aboriginal land holders (in addition to fire management teams).
Specific Action Required
Project partners who represent Indigenous landholders to advise on suitable opportunities and
resource requirements in order for promote these activities.
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1.4 Outcome/ Recommendation
Encourage the fire management teams to develop burn strategies related to Aboriginal plant and
animal resources (including bush foods), sites and other cultural resources as well as endangered
and high priority wildlife species.
Specific Action Required
Refer to Project personnel charged with design and delivery of Fire Management Teams in
KRFMP#2 Business Plan.
1.5 Outcome/ Recommendation
Promote the fire management controls or laws that operated under traditional Aboriginal
systems, many of which apply in the present.
Specific Action Required
Refer to Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre in the first instance. Address resource
requirements in KRFMP#2 Business Plan.
1.6 Outcome/ Recommendation
KRFMP, and where appropriate, individual Project partners will explain and promote fire
management tools including fire fax, wildfire warnings on radio, web based fire danger info and
others to Aboriginal land holders & their agencies. Adapt these so suitable for Aboriginal land
holders and users e.g. use BRACS radio.
When an extreme wildfire season is anticipated, present relevant information to the full council
of KLC to inform people of the threats several months beforehand.
Specific Action Required
Refer to Project personnel charged with design and delivery of Fire Management Teams for
inclusion in training activities. FESA and KLC to confer on arrangements for required briefings
to KLC Executive and report to Management Committee.
1.7 Outcome/ Recommendation
KRFMP and Project partners will support relevant collaborative research projects to record and
apply Aboriginal knowledge and practice and will specifically encourage research on the
following:
What are the present day burning and related land uses practices of Aboriginal people,
particularly younger men?
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Where are people patch burning? How can they be supported to continue or adapt as necessary
their practices?
What are the details of contemporary and traditional knowledge underpinning burning on
specific land areas?
What current patterns of burning on Aboriginal-owned lands (including pastoral leases)
compared to non-Aboriginal owned lands; identify patterns using satellite imagery, aerial
photograph interpretation and interviews?
What is the relation between spatial ignition patterns and road networks? Can road networks be
better used as ignition sites and to break up large tracts of land?
What is the role of Aboriginal people compared to other land user groups and natural causes in
fire ignition?
What options are available to sustain fire management teams beyond the life of the KRFMP?
What support can be given to Aboriginal landholders to implement appropriate burn regimes
(separate from the fire management teams)?
Are education and publicity materials effective in changing burning and related land use
practices? For which user groups? In what formats?
Specific Action Required
Project Technical Committee will convene to confer on options to encourage interest in and
support for ongoing research into the key issues and report to Management Committee by 31
December 2003.
2. Pastoral lands management
2.1 Outcome/ Recommendation
FESA will produce a position paper, taking into account the findings of KRFMP#1, as the basis
upon which to undertake further assessment of the effectiveness of Aerial Control Burning
operations in the Kimberley region and in order to guide the Management Committee in
formulating the 2004/05 research program.
Specific Action Required
FESA to provide discussion paper by 31 March 2004.
2.2 Recommendation/ Outcome
Project partners will use their contact with clients and constituents to raise awareness about legal
and technical issues associated with Aerial Control Burning.
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Specific Action Required
Project partners that directly represent landholder interests will liaise with FESA on the timing
and content of presentations/other communications to clients or constituents and report on
outcomes to KRFMP Management Committee by 31 December 2003.
2.3 Outcome/ Recommendation
Project partners endorse the conclusions concerning fire and pasture management contained in
Draft Preliminary Guidelines for Kimberley Pastoral Properties prepared by WA Department of
Agriculture (Andrew Craig) and urge that the Guidelines be released to Kimberley pastoral
community.
Specific Action Required
In consultation with all Project partners, Project personnel will engage with WA Department of
Agriculture regarding the funding and organisation of a series of sub-regional workshops to
assist leaseholders to develop preliminary property level fire management plans, where
appropriate incorporating the Craig guidelines. Such workshops should also be the opportunity
to foster cooperation between neighbouring land holders in fire management planning,
including preventative burning programs. Partnership with Department of Agriculture in the
development and funding of a workshop program will be reflected in KRFMP#2 Business Plan
but agreement will be sought by 31 March 2004.
2.4 Outcome/ Recommendation
KRFMP will advocate greater uptake of information technology, including GIS, in property
management in the Kimberley and will seek opportunities for this to be given practical effect.
Specific Action Required
As a first step, and subject to further consultation with DLI, the KRFMP#2 Business Plan will
address availability and deployment of Project human and financial resources to provide training
to Kimberley land managers in Arc Explorer for accessing digital mapping products to enhance
property-level fire management.
2.5 Outcome/ Recommendation
Project partners advocate the need for demonstration trials or participatory research to promote
discussion and dissemination of information about the extent and use of fire in pasture and
vegetation management (e.g. reported woody thickening, pindan thinning, and shift from
perennials to annuals).
Specific Action Required
In consultation with all Project partners, Project personnel to discuss with Department
Agriculture and incorporate into KRFMP#2 Business Plan with view to agreement by 31st
March 2004.
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2.6 Outcome/ Recommendation
Project partners will promote regional and community involvement in the review of the WA
Bushfires Act which is to take place in 2004. KRFMP will promote consideration of customary
law principles into the amended Act.
Specific Action Required
Project partners that directly represent landholder interests will liaise with FESA on the
timing and content of presentations/other communications to clients or constituents and
report on outcomes to KRFMP Management Committee.
KRFMP will liaise with Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre in the first instance
on the issue of the inclusion of reference to customary law in Bushfires Act.
3. Biodiversity
3.1 Outcome/ Recommendation
Long-term financial support will be sought in order for KRFMP to continue to:
investigate links between long term fire regimes and biodiversity indicators on different
land types. These indicators could include critical weight range mammals,
invertebrate & other fauna phyla and vegetation species such as cypress Pine. Land
types could include sandstone, rainforest and broader land areas
identify best practice management options for fauna and vegetation based on
bioregional assessment develop appropriate fire management guidelines to maintain
biodiversity and landscape health
recommend appropriate fire regimes to maintain biodiversity and landscape health
analyse further and report on the large body of ecological data collected by KRFMP #1.
Specific Action Required
Continuation of biodiversity program will be incorporated into KRFMP#2 Business Plan.
Project partners will recognise this outcome in formulation of the 2004/05 research program.
4. Economic Assessment
4.1 Outcome/Recommendation
Clarify the process of agenda setting for the West Australian Sustainable Development Strategy,
and determine whether a submission on Kimberley fire management is a priority.
4.2 Outcome/Recommendation
Develop a project to assess the effectiveness of current public sector fire management activities
in the Kimberley. The project should be undertaken as a participatory project with public and
private sector land managers, and should build on the work already undertaken by the KRFMP.
The project would need to assess the range of land management objectives with respect to fire
(biodiversity maintenance, prevention and industry protection, etc), the achievement of those
objectives, expenditures in relation to those objectives, and make recommendations for change
where necessary.
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
4.3 Outcome/ Recommendation
Consider prioritising participation in the review of the West Australian Bushfires Act 1954. If it
is determined to be a priority develop a strategy for participation which includes obtaining funds
and appropriate personnel.
4.4 Outcome/Recommendation
In developing and prioritising fire management strategies in the Kimberley, consideration needs
to be made of the optimal use of country taking into account economic, social and
environmental values. Where the pastoral industry is marginal consideration should be given to
prioritising other land use values.
4.5 Outcome/ Recommendation
Land management strategies focused around fire must actively include Indigenous land owners
and managers, particularly young people, with the re-establishment of on ground fire
management skills through skills development and training programs. Strategies must clarify and
resource the institutional and other structures required to enable Indigenous people to meet
their land management responsibilities.
4.6 Outcome/Recommendation
Research is required to assess the implications of current tenure arrangements in the Kimberley
and to design new systems for the effective management of fire. Consideration should be given
to land tenure mechanisms as a means to secure Indigenous rights, provide for multiple uses
(including tourism), and stipulate land management responsibilities.
4.7 Outcome/ Recommendation
Kimberley land management strategies need to be informed by sound scientific advice about the
opportunities effective fire management presents for reducing Australian greenhouse gas
emissions. If the opportunities are favourable this advice then needs to be analysed by land
managers environmental economists and land use planners to determine whether investment in
carbon sequestration projects can effectively be undertaken in the Kimberley.
Specific Action Required
Economic assessment report by consultant Cath Elderton will be referred to a sub committee of
the KRFMP Management and Technical Committees in order to consider how to deal with
public policy issues arising from fire management in the Kimberley, including the effectiveness
of current public sector fire management activities, the implications of current land tenure and
whether investment in carbon sequestration projects can effectively be undertaken in the
Kimberley. Sub Committee will report to Management Committee by 31 March 2004.
5. Communications
5.1 Outcome/Recommendation
Project partners will ensure that the communications materials developed by KRFMP during the
period 2001-2003 continue to be used for community education and information purposes, as
long as the Management Committee deems them relevant and effective.
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Specific Actions Required
Project partners will review and report to Management Committee by 31 December 2003 on
measures to be adopted by them to implement this recommendation.
KRFMP#2 Business Plan will address the availability and deployment of Project human and
financial resources to give effect to this recommendation.
5.2 Outcome/ Recommendation
Project partners will support the ongoing development and production of education and
information resources - by KRFMP and/or individual Project partners - that are tailored to
the needs of discrete community sectors. Further materials should be developed to meet
the information needs of community and regional schools, land managers across the major
land use sectors (conservation, pastoral, Indigenous, military, mining [particularly mineral
exploration]), tourism and recreation.
Specific Actions Required
Project partners will review and report to Management Committee on measures to be
adopted by them to implement this recommendation by 31 December 2003.
KRFMP#2 Business Plan will address availability and deployment of Project human and
financial resources to implement this recommendation.
5.3 Outcome/ Recommendation
Production and distribution of public education and information materials should conform
to the following guidelines: materials produced should be photo based, in plain English,
clear, and succinct; materials produced should be distributed so as to reflect the diversity of
public places in which people congregate; posters and public messages should use images of
the natural resources that both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people value e.g. green trees,
shade trees, cattle pasture, landscape views, and the effects of uncontrolled bushfires on
these resources.
KRFMP will continue to prepare attractively presented, accessible information about fire
regimes for Aboriginal people and organisations as A3 books, video and posters. Focus these
on the effects of fire on plants and animals that are important to people, especially bush
foods.
The State agencies, representative landholder groups and NGOs associated with KRFMP
should also commit to communicate fire education and information messages in succinct,
clear images and in plain English.
Specific Action Required
Project partners to note; KRFMP#2 Business Plan provisions to reflect this recommendation.
5.4 Outcome/ Recommendation
(Especially where Indigenous community members have contributed to the production of
communications materials), KRFMP should ensure that approval is obtained for the use of
quotes, artwork and photographs of individuals in order both to allow informants to check their
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
contributed material and to understand the context in which material is to be used. Adequate
time for the approval process must be allowed.
Specific Action Required
KRFMP#2 Business Plan will specify protocols for clearance of communication materials.
5.5 Outcome/ Recommendation
If information is obtained from further research into the human causes of destructive and/or
unmanaged fire ignition, effort should be directed into producing effective communication
materials to address such causes directly.
Specific Action Required
Project partners to note in the context of setting research program for KRFMP#2 in 2004/05
and the implementation of Recommendations 1.1 – 1.4.
5.6 Outcome/ Recommendation
A package of materials appropriate for use in all Kimberley schools based upon work
undertaken by the Project 2001-2003 should be developed to supplement the FESA ‘Fire Inside
Out’ materials.
Such package should incorporate information concerning Aboriginal knowledge relevant to fire
and burning.
Specific Action Required
KRFMP Project personnel to negotiate with FESA on implementation; implementation
timetable to be incorporated into KRFMP#2 Business Plan.
5.7 Outcome/ Recommendation
In recognition of the limited resources available to KRFMP in the immediate future to develop
and distribute both new communication materials, KRFMP should seek appropriate
sponsorship and special purpose funding for these purposes.
Specific Action Required
KRFMP partners to advise by 31 December 2003 on support available (direct and on scope for
using partners’ ‘good offices’ to pursue sponsorship and funding for these purposes).
5.8 Outcome/ Recommendation
Materials produced by KRFMP should be appropriately archived; options for archiving of
material include one of the partner agencies or the Kimberley Archive (under development).
Specific Action Required
Archiving of Project materials to be addressed in KRFMP #2 Business Plan.
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
6. Remote sensing and Geographic information Systems
6.1 Outcome/ Recommendation
A ‘level of confidence’ should be published for the DLI FAA maps yearly. This would entail the
repetition of this validation process although the process should be standardized and simplified
for future research. Knowing the level of confidence would help highlight areas unsuitable for
current mapping methods, ensure that accuracy increases over time and enable the mapping to
be compared to mapping done by other organisations. Such comparison between organisations
is important in order to enable techniques to be shared so as to arrive at the most accurate
methodology.
Specific Action Required
Project personnel refer to DPI and Technical Committee and report to Management Committee
on outcomes.
6.2 Outcome/Recommendation
The effectiveness of ACB needs to be assessed yearly to gain insight into why some ACB are
successful while others are not. The methods for this yearly assessment need to be
standardized to ensure that the results are descriptive of the situation on the ground. The
results from the yearly assessment need to be considered when planning the ACB program
of the following year.
Simplify & standardize system to assess ACB. Conduct on-going assessments of ACB (i.e.
throughout year not only annually) & discuss results with land holders. Use assessment
results & feedback to modify ACB. Use results to plan ACB program for the following year.
6.3 Outcome/Recommendation
In relation to FireFax: KRFMP will continue to support and promote the availability of the
service through DLI.
Specific Action Required
Project personnel will contact pastoral lessees/managers and remote community
administrators to encourage subscription to the service. KRFMP personnel will provide
‘after sales service’ in the form of assistance to use the service, and will advise subscribers on
changes or disruptions to the service.
Promotion of the service should be continued through the Department of Agriculture –
Pastoral Memo, LCDC meetings, the Kimberley Land Council, KAPA and via the internet
to stations who have access.
The possibility of converting the service to a GIS format will be explored with DLI-SRSS ,
to allow for distribution of fire data as GIS files suitable for viewing in ArcExplorer. This
system would be suitable for managers and communities throughout the Kimberley who are
computer literate. The advantage of this system is land managers can compare current to
previous fire locations and movements. Fire scar data could be emailed to registered
managers or downloaded from the DL1-SRSS website and viewed with the fire location
information.
As FireFax becomes GIS orientated it would be advantageous for station managers and
communities to have access to ArcExplorer training. Training sessions could be run in
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
conjunction with community or LCDC meeting and could be advertised in the Pastoral
Memo and via email.
Fire frequency and season be assessed using satellite imagery and develop recommendations
for suitable frequencies & seasons of burning.
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
Appendix 2: List of Contributors during Stage 1 KRFMP
Project Staff
Carol Palmer Project Coordinator
Ben Cross Deputy Coordinator
Nat Raisbeck-Brown Mapping Specialist
Meg Flavelle Project Officer
Terry Mahney Project officer
Tricia Handasyde Project officer
Project Consultants
Fiona Walsh Ethnoecologist
Cath Elderton Economics advisor
Management Committee
Stuart Gunning Kimberley Community Past Chair
Peter McCumstie Kimberley Community Past Chair
Alan Lawford KAPA Kimberley Aboriginal Pastoralists
Association Current Chair
Ruth Webb-Smith PGA Pastoralists & Graziers Association
Jeremy Russell-Smith TS–CRC Tropical Savannas Cooperative
Research Centre
Peter Cann FESA Fire and Emergency Services Authority (WA)
Mark Horstmann KLC Kimberley Land Council
Olive Knight KLC
Tom Birch KLC
Ari Gorring KLC
Tom Vigilante KLC
Chris Done CALM Conservation and Land Management
Peter Kneebone WALGA Western Australian Local Government Association
Butch Maher LCDC Land Conservation District Committee
Peter Lacey LCDC
Robyn Maher LCDC
Byrne Terry LCDC
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Sustainable Fire Management for the Kimberley Region of Western Australia Vol 1Executive Summary
Technical Advisory Group
Andrew Craig Dept of Agriculture, WA
Tony Start CALM
Kevin White CALM
Peter Saint FESA
Ron Craig DLI Department of Land information
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