WITH a number of heatwave days having already occurred early in the season, it is appropriate to acknowledge the debt of gratitude we owe to the Department of Environment and Primary Industries for the extensive fuel reduction burn program already carried out across Bendigo and surrounding areas.
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It has been instructive to see first hand the risk management and safety work and procedures put in place to ensure that fuel reduction burns were carried out with the minimum impact on adjacent communities.
The short-term associated smoke and haze experienced have been a minor inconvenience to pay in return for the very significant reduction of the risk of local wildfires.
These fuel reductions are no guarantee against very serious life and property threatening forest fires in our region; but along with other fire mitigation and response programs put in place by the department, we are all much safer than we would otherwise be.
And just a note for groups such as the Greens: one only needs to visit the site of a recent burn to observe the relatively minor impact on the environment and the absence of lasting damage. The wildlife displayed an almost uncanny awareness for the need to vacate an affected area through their reaction to the smoke, and have since returned to flourish as before.
