PRESCRIBED BURNING —
SOUTH WEST
1469. Hon RICK MAZZA to the Minister for Environment:
With
summer officially beginning on Sunday and the bushfire season already in full
swing, can the minister advise of —
(a) the progress of the spring
prescribed burning program in the south west;
(b) what factors contributed to the
extent of the burns; and
(c) the total area of prescribed
burning in the south west during spring 2019?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(a) From 1 July
2019 to 28 November 2019, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and
Attractions has commenced 75 prescribed burns, completing three and partially
completing 72 burns in its three south west forest regions.
(b) A combination
of intermittent rainfall over spring and rapid early drying has provided for a shortened
window of opportunity for this spring burning season.
(c) Since 1 July
2019, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions has achieved
approximately 58 456 hectares of prescribed burning in its three south west
forest regions.