
Work will start in Castlemaine on Wednesday to strengthen and improve the area's network of strategic fuel breaks, to protect the community and environment from future bushfires.
For two about weeks, Forest Fire Management Victoria crews will be constructing over seven kilometres of strategic fuel breaks across four areas including Forest Creek, Matheson Road, Wattle Gully and Kalimna Park.
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FFMVic Loddon Mallee deputy chief fire officer Scott Falconer said strategic fuel breaks are critical to protecting communities, catchments and the environment from bushfires.
"This work will improve the safety of our fire crews and boost their ability to fight, contain or reduce the impacts of bushfires on the Castlemaine community," he said.
"While no one action totally removes the risk, fuel breaks give us a better chance at defending property and important assets.
"It is a modification to a small part of the landscape that benefits and boosts safety for the entire community, and with the safe window to conduct planned burning getting smaller, practical, on-ground initiatives like this are vital.
"Works in the area are scheduled to be completed by mid-May."
OTHER STORIES:
A fuel break is a strip of cleared land with less shrubs and trees to reduce the rate of spread and intensity of a bushfire for the direct protection of assets.
The breaks are constructed by permanently changing the vegetation structure through mulching, tree thinning and hazardous tree removal.
The fuel break in Forest Creek will be approximately 3.5km long, Matheson Road is 1.2km, with Wattle Gully being 1.6km and the break in Kalimna Park will stretch 1.1km.
Local contractors have been engaged to undertake the works which will involve mechanical removal of two highly invasive woody weed species, Gorse (Ulex europaeus) and Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus).
Impacts on biodiversity are carefully considered through both the planning and construction phases of these breaks. No native vegetation will be removed as part of these works.
This strategic network of fuel breaks will support the implementation of FFMVic's Joint Fuel Management Program and complement community and private landholder actions conducted to reduce bushfire risk.
More information about the Joint Fuel Management Program can be found online at ffm.vic.gov.au/bushfire-fuel-and-risk-management/joint-fuel-management-program
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Alex Gretgrix
Journalist based in Bendigo, Victoria, covering health and Buloke and Campaspe Shire news at the Bendigo Advertiser. Contact via alex.gretgrix@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Journalist based in Bendigo, Victoria, covering health and Buloke and Campaspe Shire news at the Bendigo Advertiser. Contact via alex.gretgrix@austcommunitymedia.com.au