Global Ag View: Environmental policy blamed for bush fires in Australia

Some blame has been pointed at recent changes in environmental ‘green’ policies that have prevented cattle from grazing forest areas and restricted both private landowners and Governmental hazard reduction burning.

In recent decades, more Australian National Parks have been created and forest fire fuel levels have increased.

Due to non-grazing by cattle, fire trails have become unused and completely overgrown, adding to the propensity and intensity of bush-fires occurring.

In the past, indigenous Australians commonly lit low intensity fires to clear the undergrowth and encourage new grass growth.

Older pastoralists commonly adopted the indigenous Australian practice, especially when being used and incorporated as part of forestation grazing leases.

The indigenous practices go back tens of thousands of years. However, two distinct forestation and grazing management methods are involved: hazard reduction burning and back-burning.

Intensity

Hazard reduction is the act of burning at low heat and low intensity to remove fuel such as undergrowth; fallen tree branches, leaves and grass.

Back-burning is the act of lighting a fire in front of an active bush fire to remove fuel and create a fire-break.