Melbourne University experts agree with us that in some cases, fuel reduction burns increase fire risks in native forests.
Professor David Karoly and Dr Kevin Tolhurst told a bushfire seminar called to discuss proposed fuel reduction burns in the Otways that over time any burning starts to change the ecology of rainforest gullies so that they cease to be wet rainforest gullies and become dry fuel gullies which no longer protect the community or the forest.
"Increased fuel-reduction burning, as advocated by some sectors of the forest industry and associated lobby groups, will further exacerbate the situation," they said
Dr Tolhurst said extreme weather, caused by global warming, was a greater threat than fuel. Fuel load is not as important a factor as weather."
This is not confined to the Otways - the same applies around Grantville and in the Strzeleckis. We have great fears that the Royal Commission currently investigating the latest wildfires will be hoodwinked by the numbers of people who want to cut down all the trees and 'burn the bush'.
Tags:
fire risk, fuel reduction burns, native vegetation
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