Fire towns lack wildfire plans

Fire towns lack wildfire plans

08 February 2010

published by www.heraldsun.com.au

Australia —  COMMUNITIES most devastated on Black Saturday had no comprehensive planning scheme to prepare for wildfires, the Bushfires Royal Commission heard today.

Counsel assisting, Melinda Richards, said State Government legislation allowed local councils to establish a wildfire management overlay (WMO) but a major limitation was that it only applied to new buildings and sub-divisions.

She said that the first WMO’s did not appear in council planning schemes until 2004.

“Murrindindi Shire was the municipality hardest hit by the fires on Black Saturday,” Ms Richards said.

“Some of the areas in the shire where the fires were most deadly – Marysville, Kinglake, Pine Ridge Road in Kinglake West – were not covered by a WMO.”

Ms Richards said of the 20 municipalities hit by bushfires on Black Saturday eight still did not have a WMO in their planning schemes.

The commission started today with a minutes silence to remember the 173 people who died on Black Saturday with chairman Bernie Teague paying tribute to the victims and their families.

Ms Richards said the commission would examine the future of wildfire management overlays and whether they should be applied by councils, the CFA or a central government agency.

She said they would consider if WMO’s could be extended to existing dwellings and vegetation management, particularly for the creation of defensible spaces for residents..

The commission is continuing.