A team effort supports vegetation management and public safety at Reedy Creek Reserve, Qld

On 24 June 2008 Queensland National Parks & Wildlife Service (QPWS), Bush Heritage Australia Reedy Creek Reserve and the local Agnes Water /1770 Rural Fire Service, carried out a highly successful controlled burn of the Reedy Creek Reserve creek line and the north-eastern sections of Deep Water National Park. The burn was a cooperative effort with contributions from four fire units from Deepwater and Bundaberg QPWS, three units from Bush Heritage & Sunrise at 1770 and three units from the Agnes Water Rural Fire Service.

The creek line, which had not been burnt since the last big wildfire about seven years ago, was recognised by all involved as a priority for receiving a fuel-reduction burn.  The main aim of the burn was to reduce the accumulated fuels and provide a buffer for the Agnes Water township from a possible bushfire.  The second aim was to continue creating the mosaic of burnt areas that had been started by QPWS and Reedy Creek Reserve to enhance the conservation of the vegetation communities. These burns break the vegetation up into patches with different vegetation structures and ages, which results in an increase in plant and animal diversity. The patches also reduce the likelihood of a single fire event burning an entire vegetation community.

The recent rains provided the right conditions. The moisture levels of the ground, creek and vegetation were right to set a low intensity fire that would not pose a threat to the local community and yet still have sufficient intensity to remove the ground fuel loads. Recent bushfires elsewhere across the country had resulted in stricter guidelines, which recommended a proactive strategy of fuel-reduction burning in  vegetation on the urban-bush interface in order to protect life, property and the values of the environment.

Evidence shows that cooler fires such as these promote the retention of carbon held within vegetation, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Soil fertility, rainfall and fire frequency and intensity determine the long-term weight of carbon in and on the ground.  Frequent cool burns maximize the amount of carbon stored as fallen leaves and shrubs. The carbon in fallen leaves is reabsorbed back into the bush in about two years.  On the other hand, the impact of a hot wildfire that incinerates large trees will be that seven to fifteen years must elapse before same standing biomass is achieved.

The wet year has created a window of opportunity at Bush Heritage Reedy Creek Reserve and more controlled burns will be undertaken. The smoke from these fires is recognised as being a nuisance for residents but the resulting safer environment is judged to be worth the inconvenience.

For more information please contact  Steve Heggie, Queensland Regional Manager at Bush Heritage Australia or  Reedy Creek Reserve