Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
But we know the Bureau of Meteorology issued its long
range forecast for well the winter period. It shows day
and night temperatures are likely to be above average across
the country. But when you look specifically at the northern territory, well,
we're expecting warmer than usual June to August maximum and
minimum temperatures. They're likely above average rainfall across the southern
(00:22):
two thirds of the territory. Now joining us on the
line to talk a little bit more about that and
what it means when it comes to the fire risk
is Bushfire's NT Director of Operations and Chief Fire Control Officer,
Tony Fuller. Good morning, Tony.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yeah, Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Now what are the key takeaways for the top end
in the Bureau's long range outlook.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Look, we're expecting probably usual for danger in the top end.
We're already setting up and getting our response ready for
this year. In the top end. To notice, on the weekend,
it was quite a significant mane of burning going on
plan burns with brigades in the burn and our a
fewer area, and there was a pretty large airal prescribe
(01:08):
burning that went on in Blackmore River over the weekend,
which threw up quite a bit of smoke, and there'll
be more aeral prescribe burning going on today at gunpoint
and how it springs area our Shoal Bay area. Sorry,
so you'll notice a bit more work going on today.
But yeah, at the moment, we're really trying to ramp
(01:29):
up our mitigation burns with the brigades. The rain in
the last couple of weeks hasn't helped us at all.
You know. We like to get people to prepared and
get them to get their fire breaks in and we
will be doing firebreaking inspections, but we understand at the
moment that some people won't be able to do that
because of the amount of rain that we've had and
(01:52):
that some of their boundaries will not be able to
be accessed at this time. We understand that, but we're
still going to go ahead with the inspections. If you
do get notices and you haven't been able to do it,
you know, just contact us and we'll work with you
through it. It's more of an education process that we're
working through to remind people that you know, the breaks
are important and we need to get them in.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
So is it quite a large fuel load after the
wet season.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Oh there is every year. We'll always have fuel. That's
the nature of bush, so, yeah, that's what that's what happens,
and fire is obviously one way of managing that fuel
load at the end of each wet it's an annual
event with us in the top end in Central Australia.
We've done a bit of mitigation in Alice Springs and
(02:40):
the Barkley area, but unfortunately with that rain we're likely
to see more regrowth and that's going to put us
back a little bit over the winter months. We shouldn't
be too bad, but later in the year we're expecting
that we're going to have a fair few problems down there.
And again we're just re emphasizing with everyone that can
keep an eye on your firebreaks and get them manage them.
(03:03):
And that's right across the territory.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
So, Tony, I know a lot of like a lot
of rural residents listen to the show. I know a
lot of them would already sort of have a fair
idea what they need to do. But what do landholders
need to be doing right now in terms of managing
their blocks.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, look, getting those fire breaks in and if you've
got large blocks, and you need to do that burning
is talk to your brigades, get the permits to get
your burns in and outside the fire protection zones. And
a lot of the past us already aware of that,
and a lot of them have been doing their burns
already this year. So it's just the main thing is
(03:43):
to make sure that anything you don't want to burned
got a break around it. If it's a lot of
cars on a block in a rural block, put a
break around it, because at least if we get called there,
we can actually try and assist in stopping the fire
going through the sky into those assets.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Do you find like most people pretty compliant and try
their best to be organized.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, look, it's in their interest. So a lot of
people are, but there's the odd block here and there
that aren't you and we try and work with those
landholders to make them compliant. But yeah, like everything, there's
ninety percent of people are compliant and do realize the
risk and try and do the right thing. But then
(04:30):
there's that element that aren't and some of those blocks,
to be honest with you, maybe deceased of states that
we've got to try and find who actually owns the
block and work with whoever's meant to be managing those
blocks to make them compliant.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Yeah, we always get messages about you know, about blocks, Tony,
Like a lot of people will message and go, Wilfee,
you know, I look after my block. I make sure
that I've done all the right thing. But they're a
neighbor or the vacant block next to me, or you know,
whoever's responsible for it.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Don't.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Like, what's your advice to anybody listening this morning? That's
sort of in that situation. Do they need to get
in contact with Bushfires into like what do they do?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yeah, look, we're more than happy to take those sort
of complaints and they's just email our Bushfires and email address.
That's right. But if they email that and just say
this block is a neighbor, it's not compliant. Can you
have a look at the compliance team to go and
have a look at it. And we'll be out this
(05:29):
week and we've already been out a couple of times
this year and do it. And there's a lot of
areas that we've got to cover and a lot of blocks.
You know, a block might look really good from the
main road, but out the back, we know it's not compliant.
So if people have got that sort of information, by
all means, pass it on and we'll get people out
(05:50):
there to have a look at it. But we cannot
discuss with anyone what action we're taking. So a lot
of these blocks, we probably already know about them and
are doing something in the background, but we can't. Obviously
through privacy devolves what we're doing in relation to those blocks.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Now Tony in terms of people making sure they've got
bush fire survival plans as well, that's obviously something that
they need to be prepared for as we get into
the dry season and as we see some of these
fires around the place.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah, look, you just got to weigh up what you're
going to do. Talk to your family. Are you going
to stay? Are you are you going to leave? The
last the worst thing is leaving in the middle of
a fire. That's where a lot of the deaths have
occurred in the state, where people get stuck on roads
and smoke fire hazards. But just understand what you are
(06:45):
going to do if there is a fire approaching your block.
And one of the main things for us, if we're
going to attend is making sure that all the gates
are open and animals are safe so that we can
get in there and do our work that we need
to do to protect the assets. One of the things
we don't fight structure fires, so we'll do whatever we
(07:07):
can to stop a fire from reaching the structure. Actually fighting,
we're not trained or we're equipped to do that. And
a lot of our area is outside the response areas
of the anti fire and rescue, So you know, you
may not get the assistance that you think you're going
to get if you're living in Dance Central.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Ye, hey, what about I mean, we've had quite a
few people last week sort of raise concerns about gamber grass.
Some land on is struggling to get on top of it.
What assistance can bush fires into provide or what's your
advice when it comes to you know, when it comes
to that gamber grass.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah, Look, it is a problem, and it's really hard
to manage. And obviously it's a big problem right through
the rural area and right through all the parks. There
are programs around about getting spray to spray it. My
understanding that's probably late to spray it this year. It's
(08:06):
already starting to seed, so spraying is not going to
be effective. But if it does get burnt this season,
then be ready to spray it later when it regerminates
and get on top of it that way.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Yeah, right, And so what are the responsibilities of landown
is when it comes to managing that gamber.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Look, there is a fifteen break. I'm probably not the
right person talking to about it. I don't look after
the weeds. Weeds can gain. Yeah, but we certainly encourage
people to make sure that their blocks are clear of
gamber if they can. But obviously there's some larger blocks
that can't. And from memories of fifteen met buffer that's
(08:47):
got to be is enforced to keep it away from
the boundaries.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
I know they've been people sort of raising concerns as
well about the amount of poison. I think it is
that you can get that land owners can access from
the government when it comes to that gamber. Do you
know how much they can access or what the.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Situation is not I don't manage it.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Well, that's all right. We think we can make sure
we can. I think we're going to try and catch
up with the department about it anyway tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Yeah, range lands look after that.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah, No, we can do that, well, what about in
terms of fines and penalties for people not doing their
bit to make sure that they are ensuring that their
blocks are organized and that they've got those breaks in place.
I know you touched on this little while ago. It
is more an educative process, but you know what, if
there are people that are just not doing the.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Right thing, that we do issue finds every year, but
it is the last resort. We prefer to work with
the landholders to make them compliant as best we can,
and we'll go back to landholders quite regularly and try
and make sure that they are doing the right thing
by themselves and their neighbors. But there are fines and
(10:00):
I don't get involved in the actual amounts involved in that,
but there are other avenues available to us that we
can actually potentially clear properties at times, but we try
to avoid that because it's such an annual event, the regrowth,
that we don't want to be going back and as
(10:20):
someone said to me, that we don't want to be
the gardeners of the Northern Territory. That's my role. We're
trying to manage the risk with the day and holders.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Well, you're busy enough as it is, you know, so well.
I don't think you want to be doing that well.
Tony Fuller, Bushfire's Director of Operations and chief fire Control Officer,
always appreciate your time. Thank you very much for having
a chat with us this morning.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
No worries it ocading you have a good day you too.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Thank you
But we know the Bureau of Meteorology issued its long
range forecast for well the winter period. It shows day
and night temperatures are likely to be above average across
the country. But when you look specifically at the northern territory, well,
we're expecting warmer than usual June to August maximum and
minimum temperatures. They're likely above average rainfall across the southern
(00:22):
two thirds of the territory. Now joining us on the
line to talk a little bit more about that and
what it means when it comes to the fire risk
is Bushfire's NT Director of Operations and Chief Fire Control Officer,
Tony Fuller. Good morning, Tony.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yeah, Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Now what are the key takeaways for the top end
in the Bureau's long range outlook.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Look, we're expecting probably usual for danger in the top end.
We're already setting up and getting our response ready for
this year. In the top end. To notice, on the weekend,
it was quite a significant mane of burning going on
plan burns with brigades in the burn and our a
fewer area, and there was a pretty large airal prescribe
(01:08):
burning that went on in Blackmore River over the weekend,
which threw up quite a bit of smoke, and there'll
be more aeral prescribe burning going on today at gunpoint
and how it springs area our Shoal Bay area. Sorry,
so you'll notice a bit more work going on today.
But yeah, at the moment, we're really trying to ramp
(01:29):
up our mitigation burns with the brigades. The rain in
the last couple of weeks hasn't helped us at all.
You know. We like to get people to prepared and
get them to get their fire breaks in and we
will be doing firebreaking inspections, but we understand at the
moment that some people won't be able to do that
because of the amount of rain that we've had and
(01:52):
that some of their boundaries will not be able to
be accessed at this time. We understand that, but we're
still going to go ahead with the inspections. If you
do get notices and you haven't been able to do it,
you know, just contact us and we'll work with you
through it. It's more of an education process that we're
working through to remind people that you know, the breaks
are important and we need to get them in.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
So is it quite a large fuel load after the
wet season.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Oh there is every year. We'll always have fuel. That's
the nature of bush, so, yeah, that's what that's what happens,
and fire is obviously one way of managing that fuel
load at the end of each wet it's an annual
event with us in the top end in Central Australia.
We've done a bit of mitigation in Alice Springs and
(02:40):
the Barkley area, but unfortunately with that rain we're likely
to see more regrowth and that's going to put us
back a little bit over the winter months. We shouldn't
be too bad, but later in the year we're expecting
that we're going to have a fair few problems down there.
And again we're just re emphasizing with everyone that can
keep an eye on your firebreaks and get them manage them.
(03:03):
And that's right across the territory.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
So, Tony, I know a lot of like a lot
of rural residents listen to the show. I know a
lot of them would already sort of have a fair
idea what they need to do. But what do landholders
need to be doing right now in terms of managing
their blocks.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, look, getting those fire breaks in and if you've
got large blocks, and you need to do that burning
is talk to your brigades, get the permits to get
your burns in and outside the fire protection zones. And
a lot of the past us already aware of that,
and a lot of them have been doing their burns
already this year. So it's just the main thing is
(03:43):
to make sure that anything you don't want to burned
got a break around it. If it's a lot of
cars on a block in a rural block, put a
break around it, because at least if we get called there,
we can actually try and assist in stopping the fire
going through the sky into those assets.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Do you find like most people pretty compliant and try
their best to be organized.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, look, it's in their interest. So a lot of
people are, but there's the odd block here and there
that aren't you and we try and work with those
landholders to make them compliant. But yeah, like everything, there's
ninety percent of people are compliant and do realize the
risk and try and do the right thing. But then
(04:30):
there's that element that aren't and some of those blocks,
to be honest with you, maybe deceased of states that
we've got to try and find who actually owns the
block and work with whoever's meant to be managing those
blocks to make them compliant.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Yeah, we always get messages about you know, about blocks, Tony,
Like a lot of people will message and go, Wilfee,
you know, I look after my block. I make sure
that I've done all the right thing. But they're a
neighbor or the vacant block next to me, or you know,
whoever's responsible for it.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Don't.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Like, what's your advice to anybody listening this morning? That's
sort of in that situation. Do they need to get
in contact with Bushfires into like what do they do?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yeah, look, we're more than happy to take those sort
of complaints and they's just email our Bushfires and email address.
That's right. But if they email that and just say
this block is a neighbor, it's not compliant. Can you
have a look at the compliance team to go and
have a look at it. And we'll be out this
(05:29):
week and we've already been out a couple of times
this year and do it. And there's a lot of
areas that we've got to cover and a lot of blocks.
You know, a block might look really good from the
main road, but out the back, we know it's not compliant.
So if people have got that sort of information, by
all means, pass it on and we'll get people out
(05:50):
there to have a look at it. But we cannot
discuss with anyone what action we're taking. So a lot
of these blocks, we probably already know about them and
are doing something in the background, but we can't. Obviously
through privacy devolves what we're doing in relation to those blocks.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Now Tony in terms of people making sure they've got
bush fire survival plans as well, that's obviously something that
they need to be prepared for as we get into
the dry season and as we see some of these
fires around the place.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah, look, you just got to weigh up what you're
going to do. Talk to your family. Are you going
to stay? Are you are you going to leave? The
last the worst thing is leaving in the middle of
a fire. That's where a lot of the deaths have
occurred in the state, where people get stuck on roads
and smoke fire hazards. But just understand what you are
(06:45):
going to do if there is a fire approaching your block.
And one of the main things for us, if we're
going to attend is making sure that all the gates
are open and animals are safe so that we can
get in there and do our work that we need
to do to protect the assets. One of the things
we don't fight structure fires, so we'll do whatever we
(07:07):
can to stop a fire from reaching the structure. Actually fighting,
we're not trained or we're equipped to do that. And
a lot of our area is outside the response areas
of the anti fire and rescue, So you know, you
may not get the assistance that you think you're going
to get if you're living in Dance Central.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Ye, hey, what about I mean, we've had quite a
few people last week sort of raise concerns about gamber grass.
Some land on is struggling to get on top of it.
What assistance can bush fires into provide or what's your
advice when it comes to you know, when it comes
to that gamber grass.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Yeah, Look, it is a problem, and it's really hard
to manage. And obviously it's a big problem right through
the rural area and right through all the parks. There
are programs around about getting spray to spray it. My
understanding that's probably late to spray it this year. It's
(08:06):
already starting to seed, so spraying is not going to
be effective. But if it does get burnt this season,
then be ready to spray it later when it regerminates
and get on top of it that way.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Yeah, right, And so what are the responsibilities of landown
is when it comes to managing that gamber.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Look, there is a fifteen break. I'm probably not the
right person talking to about it. I don't look after
the weeds. Weeds can gain. Yeah, but we certainly encourage
people to make sure that their blocks are clear of
gamber if they can. But obviously there's some larger blocks
that can't. And from memories of fifteen met buffer that's
(08:47):
got to be is enforced to keep it away from
the boundaries.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
I know they've been people sort of raising concerns as
well about the amount of poison. I think it is
that you can get that land owners can access from
the government when it comes to that gamber. Do you
know how much they can access or what the.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Situation is not I don't manage it.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
Well, that's all right. We think we can make sure
we can. I think we're going to try and catch
up with the department about it anyway tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Yeah, range lands look after that.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
Yeah, No, we can do that, well, what about in
terms of fines and penalties for people not doing their
bit to make sure that they are ensuring that their
blocks are organized and that they've got those breaks in place.
I know you touched on this little while ago. It
is more an educative process, but you know what, if
there are people that are just not doing the.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Right thing, that we do issue finds every year, but
it is the last resort. We prefer to work with
the landholders to make them compliant as best we can,
and we'll go back to landholders quite regularly and try
and make sure that they are doing the right thing
by themselves and their neighbors. But there are fines and
(10:00):
I don't get involved in the actual amounts involved in that,
but there are other avenues available to us that we
can actually potentially clear properties at times, but we try
to avoid that because it's such an annual event, the regrowth,
that we don't want to be going back and as
(10:20):
someone said to me, that we don't want to be
the gardeners of the Northern Territory. That's my role. We're
trying to manage the risk with the day and holders.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Well, you're busy enough as it is, you know, so well.
I don't think you want to be doing that well.
Tony Fuller, Bushfire's Director of Operations and chief fire Control Officer,
always appreciate your time. Thank you very much for having
a chat with us this morning.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
No worries it ocading you have a good day you too.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Thank you
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