Denmark council votes to voice concerns about environmental impact of prescribed burns to Premier Mark McGowan

The Shire of Denmark will write to Premier Mark McGowan requesting a public review of the State’s prescribed burning practices and additional fire mitigation resources. Cr Jan Lewis put forward a notice of motion for Tuesday’s ordinary council meeting questioning the effectiveness of the State Government’s prescribed burning policy. The motion also outlined concerns about the “long-term health effects” of smoke from prescribed burns and requested additional resources to help manage bushfires. Councillors voted unanimously to pass the motion and write to the State Government requesting a review of WA’s prescribed burning policy. Denmark Environment Centre’s Bart Lebbing, who has been pushing for a review for several years, spoke during public question time to congratulate Cr Lewis on the motion. “I think it is very likely to be the first time in the history of WA that a motion such as this has been tabled at a local government authority,” he said. “This motion is a signal to the State Government that the current policy has troublesome outcomes for our unique flora and fauna and needs to be reviewed.” Albany resident Joanna Young said a review into prescribed burning would have better outcomes for both the environment and community. “Over the last 25 years since I lived in Walpole I’ve become increasingly concerned about the impact of prescribed burning,” she said. “They have been drying out many of the wetlands and woodland. “The quickest way to cause degradation of these special ecosystems is to continue prescribed burning.” WA’s prescribed burns are conducted by the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, Department of Fire and Emergency Services, local governments and landholders to mitigate the risk of bushfires. In the 2021-22 financial year, DBCA carried out six prescribed burns across 3856ha in the Shire of Denmark. “Prescribed burning is the primary means of reducing the level of combustible fuel, and therefore the risk of bushfire to our community and the environment,” a DBCA spokesman said earlier this week. “From a biodiversity perspective, prescribed burning is undertaken to maintain a range of wildlife habitat types through the creation of low-fuel areas in a mosaic of burnt and unburnt patches across the landscape. “Prescribed burns occur in more favourable conditions than intense summer bushfires, enabling animals more opportunities to safely move into areas of unburnt vegetation and various plant species opportunities to regenerate.” At the council meeting, Cr Lewis moved to amend her original notice of motion to make it more “clear and concise”. The Shire will write to a range of State Government MPs, including Mr McGowan, with its requests. “(The Shire of Denmark) respectfully request a public review of the State’s prescribed burn policy and practices to ensure both are effective in protecting lives, property and the environment and are aligned with current science and community sentiment, and that any such review provide for a 90-day consultation period to revive submissions,” the amended motion states. “And that the State Government recognise that climate change is creating challenges in managing the increased risk of bushfires regionally and consider providing local government with additional resources for early detection and rapid suppression.” The amended motion also requested a report back to the council with any responses received by October. Cr Clare Campbell seconded the amended motion, saying it was not a criticism but an opportunity to review the State’s prescribed burning policy. No councillors spoke against the motion. It comes six months after a bushfire destroyed four homes and scorched 2150ha in the Shire, putting the entire townsite of Denmark under threat.