No images? Click here
Have you seen our new signs?
Bushfires NT has been running a campaign with Crime Stoppers this year. The collaborative campaign aims to encourage members of the public to report anything they know about people who are lighting illegal fires. We will be putting these signs in places where suspected illegal fire activity is believed to have occurred in order to raise community awareness through visual cues.
If you see any suspicious fire activity, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the Police assistance line on 131 444.
To make a report it is as easy as jumping online and completing the “make a report” form.
AFAC22 conference
In August 2022, a delegation of Bushfires NT staff and volunteers attended the AFAC22 conference held in Adelaide. Representatives from Alice Springs, Cox Peninsula, Elizabeth Valley and Dundee Volunteer Bushfire Brigades attended the AFAC conference in Adelaide. A delegation from NTPFES also attended.
AFAC is the Australian and New Zealand National Council for fire and emergency services.
The theme for this year was Connecting Communities. Creating Resilience. A number of keynote speakers highlighted that with challenges we face from things like climate change and pandemics, there is an increasing need for community resilience. Many of the research presentations that followed went on to show some of the ways the emergency management sector is trying to face those challenges. Over 3000 delegates attended the conference.
The conference included a trade exhibition of nearly 200 exhibits showcasing organisations and equipment related to emergency management. Moore’s Engineering displayed the recently built 1600L Bushfires NT appliance. (see below).
As part of the Professional Development Program, Bushfires NT representatives did a tour of the new multi-agency (SAFECOM, SES, Metropolitan Fire Service and Country Fire Service) State Command Centre. This modern facility brings together the multiple response agency’s under one roof to coordinate the state’s emergency response.
The delegation also visited the facility where the new truck appliance was built in Murray Bridge, going over the build before being finalised and receiving training on the unit.
Thanks to all involved for making the trip a success.
Planned burning continues in Central Australia
With the help of the Alice Springs Volunteer Bushfire Brigade and local stakeholders, Kaitlyn McCubbin (Bushfires 4) has planned and completed more than 200km of roadside burning. The team also helped with some planned burns at the Alice Springs Airport, Pine Gap and with the NT Fire and Rescue Service.
We would like to express our gratitude to the members of the Alice Springs Volunteer Bushfire Brigade who have burned more than 60 kilometres of roadside this year.
A recent meeting with Pine Gap staff to finalised plans with their aerial planned burn will be completed by mid to late October.
More roadside burning is scheduled as soon as the weather permits.
Watch the video
New sign at the Berry Springs Volunteer Bushfire Brigade HQ
Know The Fire Danger Ratings. They Could Save Your Life.
Australia’s fire danger rating system has been improved and simplified to make it easier for you to make decisions to stay safe on days of fire danger risk.
Girraween school sustainability day
Girraween Primary School held its annual Sustainability Field Day on 21 September, bringing together rural schools, local businesses and government departments with the wider community, to reflect on how we can make a difference in our local environment.
Bushfires NT was well represented, with the 4D Gamba Fire simulation table and a grass fire unit in attendance.
The Gamba Fire table allows users to trial the effectiveness of different land management regimes relating to gamba grass and firebreaks on rural properties. Where gamba grass is left unmanaged, its high fuel loads cause wildfires to burn hot and fast, reducing the effectiveness of standard 4m firebreaks. This is another reason gamba grass must be controlled for at least 15m away from all property boundaries, infrastructure and tracks, and should be removed completely from smaller land parcels (ie less than 3 hectares).
Bushfires NT grass fire units are custom-equipped with additional features to improve firefighter safety during grassfires fuelled by gamba grass. Featuring in-cab fire curtains and over-cab sprays for crew protection, these units are ergonomically designed and mighty impressive.
Thank you Girraween Primary School for inviting us to be a part of your 2022 Sustainability Field Day!
Happy Birthday HQ
Approximately 100 members of the community recently joined Bushfires NT in celebrating the 2nd Birthday of their Acacia Hills Headquarters.
Families and friends visited the Headquarters for this special occasion, enjoying a sausage sizzle and a delicious cake too!
Kids were entertained by the ‘Mickey Express’ obstacle course, face-painting and craft activities.
One lucky family also won a family pass to the Territory Wildlife Park as the lucky door prize draw.
Minister Moss officiated proceedings, leading the birthday wishes and also thanking the hardworking staff and volunteers.
Given the impacts of COVID over the past 2 years, this was the first opportunity since the Headquarters opened in June 2020 to showcase this wonderful facility – it was sure worth the wait!
Compliance unit update
Firebreaks: Two rounds of firebreak inspections have been undertaken in 2022, across the Vernon Arafura and Savanna bushfire management zones. The area inspected covers over 6100 individual properties.
Approximately 92.5% of landholders were compliant in the first round of inspections, and this improved to 98.2% compliance in the second inspection, demonstrating a positive response to contact and instruction given by the Compliance unit. Of those 1.8% remaining non-compliant, infringement may be issued.
Flammable material: In 2022, the Compliance unit has introduced the use of flammable material notices as an alternative option to firebreak notices. These would be issued where heavy gamba grass fuel loads are present, or where the clearance of a 4m firebreak may result in excessive clearing on smaller land parcels. 26 flammable material warnings have been issued, leading to 3 flammable material notices to date. Failure to comply with a flammable material notice provides an avenue for Bushfires NT to undertake remedial fuel reduction works on the land where required, in addition to an infringement notice.
Other offences: The Compliance unit has been investigating a number of illegal fire activities throughout the Top End Fire Danger Period. Two infringements and several warnings have been issued this fire season.
It is not an offence against the Bushfires Management Act 2016 for a person to use a grinder, welding or cutting equipment during a fire danger period or on a fire ban day. It is however an offence if a person causes a fire from using this equipment and they do not have a fire extinguisher or capacity to put that fire out.
Bushfires NT have issued a number of infringement notices during this season’s peak fire period where this has occurred.
Training with the brigade
The Alice Springs Volunteer Bushfire Brigade members recently carried out a thorough inspection and minor service on the pumps and motors on the AS 02 and AS 04 vehicles as part of their ongoing training.
This follows on from 2 previous training nights where staff and volunteers stripped down the other brigade vehicles and replaced all items required as per the vehicle equipment checklist.
The brigade invited Bushfires NT staff to conduct training on 21 September covering a Firemapper introduction and how to provide sitreps.
Further training is planned each month.
Bushfires NT Successful in Northern Territory Risk Reduction Project (NTRRP)
The NTRRP and is a jointly funded program established under a National Partnership Agreement between the Australian Government and Northern Territory Government. The NTRRP funds projects that contribute to reducing disaster risk and limiting the impact of disasters associated with natural hazards in the Northern Territory.
Bushfires NT were recently successful in obtaining a 12 month project that will aim to increase the community’s resilience to the threat of bushfire.
The project will be working closely with landholders, volunteers, government and non-government agencies to:
- improve public awareness of, and engagement on, bushfire risk and impacts across the Northern Territory
- addressing technical barriers to data and information sharing and availability
- create communication pathways to ensure transparency and understanding within our stakeholders
Further information will be provided soon but if you would like any additional information, please contact the Project Officer, Brittney Burton on Brittney.burton@nt.gov.au or 08 8922 0802.
Aircraft are crucial during the bushfire season
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our aviation partners for your outstanding assistance throughout the bushfire season in the Top End in 2022.
Bushfires NT hosted a morning tea to thank the available crews. Here are some statistics on what has been archived so far:
- over 900 fixed wing water drops
- more than 128 fixed wing drops in NT Fire and Rescue Services, Emergency Response Area
- A new record of 126 fixed wing drops in one day
- over 2.84 million litres of water/foam delivered, including 120,600L by rotary wings
It currently equates to roughly 7,569,600 cans of beer, or 252,320 30 packs.
Think its time for a new hat, Kel McLachlan
October Business Month kicks off next week with a program full of inspirational speakers and events.
The calendar includes over 120 events right across the Territory.
Visit obm.nt.gov.au to view the full OBM calendar and book now. Don’t miss out!
