Pressures on natural resources - 5
Bushfire hazard
Fire is part of the Australian environment and necessary for the continuing survival of some ecological communities. However it needs to be managed to protect human life and property.
Fire management must take a whole-of-landscape approach. While too frequent burning can cause irreversible changes, the effect of bushfires tends to be temporary:
- some native vegetation is adapted to fire and much of it is dependent on fire for reproduction
- biodiversity can recover to a certain extent (e.g. from seed beds that are not totally depleted) although some species may not recover at all
- water quality adversely affected by fire recovers gradually as riparian and hill slope vegetation recovers
- run-off from burnt slopes is initially higher and then declines as burnt vegetation re-grows.
Challenge: To ensure a whole-of-landscape management of fire hazard so that the long-term effects of bushfires are minimised.
Bushfire – January 2003 (SoE 2003)
In January 2003, 165 000 ha over five of the ACT’s nine catchments were burnt resulting in massive loss of vegetation, and movement of high levels of ash, charcoal and soil into water courses (greater than 27 years worth of ash and charcoal, and greater than 17 years worth of soil into Corin Dam) creating higher levels of turbidity.
Bridge over the Cotter River after the fires in 2003.
Photo Urban Services
Photo Urban Services
Post-fire landscape in the lower Cotter.
Photo Micheal Schultz
Photo Micheal Schultz