CRITICISM over the protection of environmental assets during a prolonged 2016 fire season has been labelled “largely misplaced” by an independent report.
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The Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authority Council’s report, to be released in full on Saturday, found the criticism was understandable in part, because it concluded more could be done to engage and inform groups that particularly value Tasmania’s wilderness areas and cultural and heritage values.
The report, voluntarily commissioned by firefighting agencies following the fire season, found the achievements of fire agencies were commendable considering the firefighting conditions experienced over a prolonged period.
Premier Will Hodgman said the report vindicating the efforts of firefighters during the unprecedented bushfires and “the unfair criticism they faced”.
Although the report found the criticism was not due to any operational failings, Mr Hodgman said the government understood improvements could always be made.
“We will now study the report and carefully consider the 12 recommendations,” he said.
The report’s other recommendations included:
- undertaking a full review of the costs and benefits of training a group of volunteer fire fighters in remote area firefighting
- Developing a multi-agency Fire Preparedness Matrix to guide decision making
- Reviewing pre fire season engagement with groups who would benefit from a greater understanding of fire management tactics
- Considering the development of operational guidelines to avoid long-term environmental impacts
- Reviewing information management practice.
A senate inquiry moved by Greens Senator Nick McKim and Labor’s Lisa Singh will also look at Tasmania’s remote fire fighting effort.
Senator McKim said the inquiry will also determine the impact of climate change on fire frequency and magnitude as it examines the response to fires that burned 20,000 hectares of the Tasmanian Wilderness and World Heritage Area.
