Strategic Fire Breaks
The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Parks Victoria and Melbourne Water are working together to protect Melbourne’s world class water supply. Melbourne’s water catchments provide drinking water for more than 4 million people. Melbourne’s water comes from forested catchment areas that are at risk from bushfires each summer. A network of around 600km of firebreaks is being constructed to help protect these invaluable forest catchments from the threat of wildfire.
What’s happened so far?
350kms of firebreaks were built to protect the Thomson and Upper Yarra Catchment during the Great Divide Fire 2006/7. Additional firebreaks in and surrounding the catchments will be constructed over the next three years. The recent fires showed the effectiveness of breaks in keeping wildfire out of the catchments.
Why is this being done?
The water catchments in our forest areas to the east and north of Melbourne produce around 80% of Melbourne’s water supply. It is essential to protect the catchments from wildfire. Wildfires in the catchments could affect the quality of water, and in the longer term could reduce the amount of water in our reservoirs.
What will the breaks look like?
The breaks will be 20-40 metres wide, depending on location. In most areas, over-storey trees will be retained to provide shade and connection between the trees for wildlife. There will be vegetation coverage on the ground and annual maintenance slashing will be undertaken by Melbourne Water and DSE.
How will they be built?
The breaks are generally located on ridgelines and generally coincide with existing roads and tracks. Machinery will be used to clear most of the understorey and some of the larger trees from the width of the break. Large material will be assessed for commercial use and sold with the necessary licences and approvals. The remaining debris will be burnt or mulched.
Where are the breaks?
The breaks stretch from the Thomson catchment in the east through the Upper Yarra, Armstrong, O’Shannassy and Maroondah catchments to Wallaby Creek near Kinglake north of Melbourne. Also included are the smaller McMahons Creek and Starvation Creek catchments.
How will the firebreaks work?
The breaks will not stop a forward moving wildfire in extreme conditions. They will provide a safe and effective area from which back-burning can be undertaken. Critical fire-fighting time is saved if the strategic firebreaks are in place. The network of breaks will provide an effective break in forest fuel. They will also provide a well-prepared area to assist in fuel reduction burning programs.
How are environmental impacts managed?
All works on catchment firebreaks are subject to full assessments for environmental and cultural impacts to meet requirements under State and Federal Government legislation. This particularly relates to the FFG Act ( Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1986) and the EPBC Act (The Commonwealth's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999).
Environmental consultants are helping to refine DSE's approach to works on catchment firebreaks and recommend mitigating strategies to limit disturbance of natural habitat and protect listed state and national threatened species. Work on firebreak stages will be dependant on the gradual completion of required assessments, approvals, design planning and consultation with affected stakeholders including key environmental groups.
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