The Wikipedia wrap of the Tasmanian bushfires
• Examiner: State ignored fires advice:
THE state government ignored high-level advice to commit more than $25 million to increase fuel-reduction burns, despite warnings of more frequent and intense bushfires without an overhaul.
See your ad here
The Examiner understands the advice, received by the government early in 2011, recommended an additional $25.7 million over four years be spent and a single fuel-reduction unit be established to oversee all burns.
However, responsibility for fuel-reduction burns is still shared between the Tasmania Fire Service, the Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry Tasmania.
Concerns have been raised that a dramatic drop in fuel-reduction burns contributed to January’s devastating bushfires.
It is understood the proposal, endorsed by the State Fire Management Council, the fire service and Forestry Tasmania, was in response to a request for advice from then-premier David Bartlett after the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission.
The proposal had suggested the investment was likely to lead to future cost savings by preventing bushfires or reducing their spread.
However, the government rejected the idea and instead awarded just $400,000 extra to the fire service to work on an integrated approach.
etc …
