Fire plays a huge role in most of Australia’s ecosystems. We often hear about extreme and intense fires, but it is becoming increasingly known that many ecosystems have evolved with fire, and often need it to replenish and to grow. This knowledge was recognised by First Nations peoples as they evolved with the land.
It sometimes feels complicated to implement a fire management strategy in a predominantly peri-urban region. Here is the story of one landholder’s journey to implement fire on his property to reduce the incidence of weeds (many of which do not like being burnt) and to renew the ecosystems which require fire to propagate and thrive.
Tony lives on a 16 hectare Land for Wildlife property in the southern end of the City of Moreton Bay, surrounded by mountains which are dominated by open eucalypt forest. He had always had an interest in using fire as a management tool to control weeds and improve the health of the vegetation. In July 2023, he attended a Property Fire Management Workshop hosted by City of Moreton Bay, with the Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium, Healthy Land & Water and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. The workshop covered fire management guidelines, Regional Ecosystems, burn preparation, implementation and fire permits. After the workshop Tony felt confident in his knowledge to implement his own planned burn at the end of the 2023 fire season.
Tony decided to burn a gully on the western side of his house. This was an ideal location for someone to implement their first burn. The gully has a medium gradient with a dam located at the bottom. The entire burn site was 1 hectare, with easy access and fire trails on three sides. In addition, the burn would offer some asset protection by reducing the fuel loads on the western side of the house.
Prior to ignition, it is important to minimise the material that can combust. This helps to create an environment for a ‘cool’ fire which is more easily controlled. As part of burn preparations on Tony’s place, highly combustible plants like lantana and other weeds were removed from the shrub layer. Tony also created mineral earth barriers and access lines – clearing so that only bare earth remains – where fire will effectively die out. These were created around the base of habitat trees and logs, and were done by scraping vegetation and leaf litter back so that the soil was exposed. This reduces the opportunity of fire to track up or inside the tree and into the crown, thus protecting habitat and the wildlife they sustain.
DURING BURN, OCT 23
The fire was ignited along a ridge line and was allowed to burn down towards the gully.
Through the middle of the burn area, Tony created mineral earth access lines for movement, approximately a metre wide. This acted as both a fire break and a safety measure. He engaged with the local Fire Warden for property specific information and was granted a fire permit to burn. He also consulted with council’s Fire Management Officer to go over his plan and make sure he had everything in place prior to ignition.
As part of final preparations, it was decided that a fire trailer would be an invaluable resource for this fire and future burns. Tony even bought a second-hand trailer with a water pump and a 1 tonne water cube, just to be on the safe side! With a little maintenance and replacement of a fire hose, the trailer was ready to go when the ideal weather conditions occurred to implement the first burn.
A fire permit stipulates that the burn can only go ahead if environmental specifications satisfy certain conditions. Soil moisture scores need to be at a specified level, temperatures need to be cool and wind needs to be at a minimum. Soil moisture is an integral part of assessing the site pre-burn. Soil moisture helps maintain a low to moderate fire intensity and provides protection to the root systems of native ground covers. Without soil moisture, native ground covers can die, and this can lead to weed succession after the fire.
With the assistance of family members and a neighbour, the burn was carried out over four days. They lit up in the cool of the morning, allowing the fire to burn itself out before starting on the next section. They blacked out the eastern side of the burn with water and used rakes to turn over logs. During the night, Tony and his wife checked to ensure there were no visible embers. They noted that stringybark eucalypts would light up fast, so were vigilant to always keep an eye on them. They also watched with interest a progression of spiders, insects and other invertebrates making an escape as the fire moved towards them. As the burn progressed, the team became more confident about how the vegetation responded to fire, so they lit up larger areas.
A year later, native grasses have recovered, there are logs and leaf litter for wildlife to use and small saplings have emerged. With the success of this first burn – due to good planning, consultation with experienced practitioners and burn preparation – Tony plans to use fire more as a land management method in the future on other areas of the property. To sum it up in Tony’s own words, “It was as alarming as it was cathartic and educational. Fire both destroys and renews.”
ONE YEAR LATER, OCT 24
Native grasses and herbs have since re-sprouted and germinated since the fire. Lots of leaf litter and fallen timber remain on the ground, protecting the soil from erosion.
Article by Nicole Byrne
Land for Wildlife Officer
City of Moreton Bay