Firewise Western

Australia

1

Bushfire Mitigation Summit

Yarloop looking east across the railway line, mid April 2016. Firebreaks or fuelbreaks are

important. .

Submission from Peta Townsing of Firewise WA to

the

Bushfire Mitigation Summit, 2017.

Firewise Western

Australia

Firewise Western

Australia

2

Executive Summary

There was one shining example of a good outcome from the fire that burnt through Yarloop. Not much was made of this, yet it showed that simple and inexpensive mitigation works carried out on the Yarloop Primary School in the months before the fire, meant that the School survived almost unscathed, despite not being defended on the day.

There was so little damage that the school became the HQ for the on-site Recovery effort.

It is the contention of this submission that the example of the mitigation treatments of the Yarloop Primary School be promoted and widely adopted. The Return on Investment is enormous. The safety of residents and firefighters is enhanced and the aftermath is far less harrowing for residents and rescuers alike.

A wider issue is that bushfire risk management needs to be more widely communicated particularly to the major stakeholders: those who live, go to school and work in the Rural Urban Interface.

1. Addressing the Terms of Reference

My submission addresses two of the terms of reference, namely:

- The effectiveness of prescribed burning and other mitigation strategies

- The outcomes resulting from the Ferguson Report and other major bushfire reviews

2. My background and qualifications for making this submission

I live in a fire-prone area in the South West. I am one of a small group of likeminded people making up Fire- wise WA who live at the Rural Urban Interface in the SW or Perth Hills. I have a science degree in chemistry with botany and zoology and some years later completed a Dip Ed. The teaching qualification was useful in understanding how children and adults learned and that positive reinforcement was more pwerful than negative reinforcement in changing behaviour. I’ve taught Biology at senior high school level before working as a systems analyst in the WA state public service. I worked on projects involved in public sector reform including projects on outsourcing and competitive tendering and contracting whilst at the State Supply Commission and second- ed to the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Now semi-retired I have a 1.9 Ha property on a fresh water stream. I have been experimenting with ways to reduce overgrown vegetation. All trees and shrubs with volatile oils have been banished from that half of the block on which my house sits. I have become very conscious of bushfire risk having had friends losing their houses to fire. Since the Kelmscott Roleystone Fire of 2011 I have done considerable research into the area of bushfire risk management and made a submission to the Keelty Perth Hills Bushfire Review.

I followed the Waroona Fire with great interest and made a submission and presentation to the Special Inquiry into the Waroona Fire conducted by Euan Ferguson. I suggested the Firewise Communities Program of the US be a model for adoption in Australia or at least in WA.

After the Waroona Fire I contacted the Department of Premier and Cabinet and offered to help. My offer was readily accepted. I thus joined the Recovery Team as a volunteer in March 2016 involved in the consultation process to develop future options for Yarloop. I interviewed about thirty residents of Yarloop as to their likely intentions for the short and medium term. I was also part of the team when public meetings were held with residents.

I am the Secretary/Treasurer of the Balingup Bush Fire Brigade and have done the necessary training. The Brigade over the past year has been impressive in its ongoing committment to carry out prescribed burning around Balingup with the aim of reducing the risk of bushfire attack.

On 6 May 2017 the Balingup Bush Fire Brigade was the host for a Fire Protection Expo. I was the

Co-ordinator. The Expo was aimed squarely at homeowners to enable them to better reduce their risk of bush- fire attack to their homes and property. https://www.facebook.com/FireProtectionExpoWA/

Firewise Western

Australia

3

3 Cryptic references to the Yarloop Primary School in the Ferguson Report

Mentioned several times were references to the Primary School and to fuel loads written by a person known only as “member of public 39”. Judging by the quotes this person was knowledgeable and experienced about bushfires. Here is one of the quotes on page 101 of the Ferguson Special Inquiry:

The Primary School remained standing throughout the fire. Although unattended as the fire passed, the school survived this was due to the fire Protection Plan developed by local fire experts - this plan included fuel reduction and separation of buildings from vegetation.

I eventually established who the author was; a retired forester who was widely recognized for his skills and experience, after whom a fire tower is named. He had heard of the mitigation work that had been done and highlighted it in his submission.

4. Documentation of the mitigation required for the Yarloop Primary School

Further enquiries revealed that Phil Penny, who headed up the Yarloop P and C had been involved in the miti- gation project on the school. The Education Department and DFES had instigated the project. There was also building technical support from the government agency that provides building support to government infra- structure.

Phil Penny is also the Chief Bushfire Control Officer for the Shire of Harvey. He had done the detailed assess- ment as to what was required and had documented what needed to be done in late 2014. He sent me a copy, which he said I could use.

It is a straight forward set of instructions as to what needs doing complete with photos of the vegetation that needs treating.

It is an excellent and extremely important example of a practical way to reduce bushfire risk thus saving lives and properties. See Attachment A.

Via an email message Penny advised that the cleanup, conducted over two months in late 2015, just weeks before the fire, cost only $6000.

Whilst there were possibly administration costs that would have increased the amount spent on ensuring the Yarloop Primary School would survive a bushfire, the likely cost of mitigation means that the Return on Invest- ment is very high. If the School had burnt it would have cost over a million dollars to replace.

5 Spreading the information - a communications strategy is needed

Information about the mitigation activities at the Yarloop Primary School were not promulgated to any extent. Indeed it was hard to find. Yet this type of example is not only important in its own right, it is an example for others to follow and be inspired.

The photos reveal what is considered to be overgrown and a fire hazard. The whole document needs to be marketed.

Other similar examples need to be looked at in the context of not just serving an immediate need but as an example to other institutions, but also to homeowners. These can be real-life examples for homeowners to follow.

Gradually some government agencies such as DFES and Parks and Wildlife are using social media to send messages out - not just for emergencies - but to inform and enlighten.

There is considerable scope in this area to inform and educate homeowners so that they can better look after themselves and live more safely in bushfire prone areas. Additionally it will mean that firefighters are less at risk.

Western

Australia

4

Firewise

Bushfire Risk Inspection Attachment A

Yarloop Primary School

Assessment and Report conducted by

Philip Penny

17 November 2014

Firewise Western

Australia

5

Purpose

The purpose of the Building and grounds inspection was to quantify the level of vegetation and fuel loads located on

the grounds prior to the summer fire season . Yarloop Primary School has been placed on the Bushfire Register for

schools.

This assessment considers the location of trees and shrubs in proximity to buildings and the level of fuel build up

within the school grounds. Build up of dead matter in trees and shrubs and the distance between tree crowns and

any other potential fuel source which may impact on buildings in the event of a bush fire.

Building Protection Zone

In general the aim of the building protection zone is to ensure that there will be no direct flame contact with the

building in the event of a bushfire. Utilising fuel management options will make it possible to reduce the potential

for radiant heat to impact on the buildings.

Firewise Western

Australia

6

Inspection of Buildings

The School buildings inspection showed that gutters are full of leaves and debris and are required to be cleaned to

eliminate a fuel source. There are no gutter guards in place to stop this build up. Covered walkaways are also a

source of trash collection and these also need to be cleaned down.

Evaporative air conditioner on both the main school building and the Library building allow for soft access to burning

embers .

Fig:1 Fig:2

Kindergarten / Pre-primary class is fitted with an old evaporative air condition which is no longer in use. A reverse

cycle air conditioner has been fitted alongside this unit and if no longer in use this evaporative unit should be

removed as while serving no purpose it does present as a fire hazard from windblown embers. This building is fenced

and the enclosure has no obvious fire threats to the building. Tall red gums on the eastern side of the building

( outside fenced area ) do however contribute to the hazard as these are within twenty metres and leaf drop is an

obvious problem for gutters and grounds.

Fig:3

Sheds located to the east and west of the Kindergarten also require attention to leaf litter. The shed to the eastern

side is actually built under trees and therefore has a significant build up of leaf matter both on top and around its

structure.

Firewise Western

Australia

7

Fig:4

Gardeners Shed is located to the southern side of the main school . This building is located under trees and alongside

is a shade house covered with nylon shade cloth . While the shade cloth is flammable it would not pose any serious

threat to the building alongside.

Fig:5

Western

Australia

8

Firewise

Grounds

The grounds of the school present very well and it is obvious that a lot of time is spent in maintaining the areas

surrounding the buildings and the oval. The perimeter of the grounds however are very overgrown and fuel loads are

above 7t/ha. Adjoining the Staff car park native bamboo and long grass littered with dead branches and fallen trees.

Fig: 6

The above photo depicts the south west corner of school grounds and is heavily over grown. No firebreak exists. The

School Staff car park adjoins this area and as seen in the photo heavy fuel is within 10 metres of the cars using this

area. This strip of heavy fuel runs due south to the School.

Fig:7 Fig:8

Carpark looking into heavy fuel. Looking West from arboretum.

Firewise Western

Australia

9

Southern boundary of school grounds

Fig:9

The southern boundary has no firebreak and in this section near the gardeners shed an estimated 15 to 20 t waste

rubbish ( branches , leaves and mulch ) forms a barrier between the access road and the property boundary. Fuel in

this concentration would not only burn fiercely but with trees close has the potential to force the flame into tree

canopies which adjoin the community library and Gardeners shed.

Fig:10

Firewise Western

Australia

10

Fig:11 Gardeners Shed

Fig:12 Greenhouse alongside Gardeners shed

Firewise Western

Australia

11

Fig:13 Southern Boundary looking to the east.

The southern boundary has fuel which is up to 7t/ha in places along the full distance of the boundary. Fuel varies

from waste which has been stockpiled to fallen trees and perennial grasses and weeds . No firebreak exists along this

section as with the rest of the school boundary. The eastern boundary has a walk trail which is in a good position to

be a firebreak but it is neither wide enough nor does the clearance limits satisfy the local government requirements.

The northern side of the school property is is the same situation as the rest of the boundary. Heavy build up of fuel

overgrown with wattle and tea tree and no firebreak . Fuel loading is 6 – 7t/ha as per the rest of the property. The

following pictures give indication as to the distribution of fuel.

Fig:14 Fig:15

Firewise Western

Australia

12

Fig:16 Looking east toward pump shed and water tank.

Recommendations.

1.A firebreak around as much of the property as possible with a minimum width of three (3) metres and a height

clearance of four (4) metres. This would allow access for emergency vehicle in the event of a fire.

2. Removal of heavy fuel build up from car park and gardeners shed area.

3. Trees with low hanging branches to be pruned up to minimum 3m in height to eliminate ground fire travelling into

trees should a fire occur.

4. The school grounds are not reticulated as such and therefore watering is carried out via a moveable pipe line which

is required to be moved by manual labour when needed. A reticulation system could be switched on , watering the

area’s likely to be impacted in a fire and lessening the chance of damage from fire.

5. Evaporative air conditioners upgraded to keep pads damp during a fire or suitable screens to minimise ember

attack from fire.

6. Gutter guards which extend a minimum of 250mm up the roof line from outer edges of gutters to stop build up of

trash in gutters.

Firewise Western

Australia

13

This report is to highlight the need for maintenance requirements throughout the grounds to minimise the effect of

a wildfire. Preparing the grounds prior to the summer season is mandatory for home and business alike and no

compliance has been met with regards to Local Government of State Government requirements for many years .

While this may have been an oversight it places the school in a dangerous position which means that in a wildfire

the school may not be able to be adequately defended.

Regards

Philip Penny