A three-day fire workshop was held in April by the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) and the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation (BAC) at Dilli Village. The workshop included field visits to several post-burn and unburnt sites with representatives from a cross-section of K’gari stakeholders including the BAC, UniSC, QPWS, QFES, FIDO, FINIA and K’gari residents.
The project, funded by the Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Funding (QRRRF), aims to reduce risk, and limit the impact of fire on the environment as a natural hazard on the Great Sandy and K’gari World Heritage Area, through the following objectives:
- Improve understanding of increasing fire risk to the unique natural – ecological and cultural landscape.
- Share stakeholder perspectives, practice, and experience with prescribed burning practices (including cultural burns) to inform response strategies to climate-induced changes, including proactive (planned burning) and reactive (bushfire/wildfire) fire management.
- Develop consensus among stakeholders about fire management approaches, recognising Butchulla perspectives, identified as a priority in the IGEM K’gari Bushfire Review 2020-21, held following the 2020 fire, and at the K’gari Symposium held in December 2022 in Hervey Bay.
- Strengthen partnership-based collaboration on fire management among K’gari land managers and stakeholders including Butchulla people, QPWS, QFES, Fraser Coast Regional Council, K’gari community and businesses, and academic advisors.
Questions considered at the workshop included:
- How is prescribed burning undertaken in the region?
- What is its purpose?
- How do we measure its effectiveness?
- How are unplanned (wild) fires managed in the greater landscape?
- How are impacts measured?
- What are some limitations of current fire management?
- How can fire management be more effective to meet a range of purposes including protecting cultural, biodiversity and World Heritage values?
- What are the current knowledge gaps?
- What are the priorities for research, monitoring, and management?
A report is currently being compiled and will be circulated amongst stakeholders. Key reflections from the workshop include Collegiality: The participants came with a sense of working together on an issue of such importance that they gave their time to attend the workshop. Representation: the BAC, QPWS and QFES all sent staff who make a significant contribution to fire management on K’gari. Learning from the past: Much was learned from the recent wildfire and these learnings form the basis of a fire management plan going forward. Learning from each other: Everyone had the opportunity to share their story, learn and contribute to improved fire management on K’gari.
Article contributed by Dr Kim Walker, University of the Sunshine Coast
FINIA 