A dwelling along the West Calder Road taken in 1983. The area was predominantly grazing land with scattered paddocks growing root crops organically.
The same dwelling in West Calder after tree plantation establishment. Picture taken in 2009.
The Tasmanian Fire Service ‘Fuel Break Calculator’ only relates to ‘button grass plains’ according to a gentleman at the Tasmanian Fire Service.
He said that the TFS made a mistake when they advised the forest companies to use this calculator to size the break between plantation trees and dwellings.
This mistake has huge ramifications for the safety of rural residents all over Northern Tasmania because the plantations have been placed way too close to their houses; thus lives are in great danger.
The Tasmania Fire Service Fuel Break Guidelines are available on the Tasmania Fire Service website …
http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/userfiles/stuartp/image/FuelBreakCalculator/TFS_Fuelbreaks_Guidlines_v1_201610.pdf
The fuel break design calculator is available …
http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/Show?pageId=colFuelBreakCalculator
Brenda Rosser, West Calder
