Bushfire Management Tracee Martin Assistant Director Environment Heritage

Bushfire Management Tracee Martin Assistant Director Environment & Heritage Policy Development 1

Bushfire Management – STRATEGIC AIM Strategic Aim 1 – Defence will deliver a sustainable estate across Defence maritime, land aerospace areas, activities and operations. 2

Bushfire Management – DOCUMENT HEIRARCHY Defence Environmental Policy Defence Environmental Strategy Defence Environmental Plan Manual Fire Protection & Engineering Environment and Heritage Manual Land Management Manual (Draft) Bushfire Guidelines: Fact Sheets, Templates, Checklists 3

Bushfire Management – POLICY DOCUMENTS Manual of Fire Protection and Engineering (MFPE) Chapter 6 • Applies to all Defence leased, sub-let and owned property • Describes the process for identifying, managing and mitigating bushfire risk in Bushfire Management Plans • Transitioning to the Environment and Heritage Manual and the Land Management Manual • Supported by Guidelines for Bushfire Management – Fact Sheets – Templates – Checklists • Available on DEQMS 4

Bushfire Management– DEQMS The DEQMS webpage is available internally and externally to Defence. It contains Defence’s Environmental Vision, Policy, Strategy and Plan. It also contains the manuals, handbooks and toolkits for all Defence Environmental Factors, including Bushfire Management. https: //www. defence. gov. au/estatemanagement/Governance/Policy/Environment/Default. asp 5

Bushfire Management– OBJECTIVES Bushfire Management Objectives 1. Protect human life; 2. Protect Defence and civilian property and assets; 3. Support ADF training; and 4. Promote pro-active, environmentally sustainable management of bushfire

Bushfire Management – APPROACH Bushfire Management Approach • Aligned to the Australian Governments National Bushfire Policy Statement for Forests and Rangelands – Human life is the highest consideration – Emphasises the importance of: • Bushfire risk awareness • Preparedness • Proactive planning 7

Bushfire Management - APPROACH Prepare, Act, Survive Framework • Critical elements of the framework – Communities understand local bushfire risks – Know how to mitigate bushfire risks – Prepare for the bushfire season – Respond to bushfire incidents in accordance with pre-planned bushfire survival plans 8

Bushfire Management - APPROACH Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) Act 2011 • WHS Act requires: – Hazards be identified – Reasonably practical actions be taken to eliminate or minimise risk • MFPE establishes framework for assessing and managing risks • Implementation of mitigation activities is consistent with the National Codes of Practice 9

Bushfire Management Plans - DEVELOPMENT Bushfire Management Plan • Bushfire Management Plans developed in accordance with the MFPE Chapter 6 • Properties in a designated Bushfire Prone area when the Overall Site Bushfire Risk (OSBR) is medium or high • BMPs provide overall bushfire risk, mitigation requirements and performance standards • Works described in a BMP are delivered through Base Services 10

Bushfire Management Plans - DEVELOPMENT Bushfire Management Plans structure BMPs are not a single document, but a series of products as relevant to each Base Support Area • Bushfire Risk Management Plan (BRMP) • Bushfire Prevention Plan (for Training Areas) • Mutual Aid Agreement (with local Fire Authority) • Prepare, Act, Survive pamphlets or posters • Bushfire operations map • Bushfire mitigation works map • Estate Investment Requirements • GEMS data 11

Bushfire Management Plans - DEVELOPMENT Progress to development of the full sweet of products

Bushfire Management Plan - DEVELOPMENT Stakeholders People with legitimate authority to speak on the subject should be invited to participate • Capability sponsors and key user units – DOTAM (EIG) do not represent capability • Local Fire Authority • Adjoining Government Agencies – National Parks, State Forests • Aboriginal groups • Key commercial enterprises • Council

End-to-End processes

Bushfire Management– KEY PRIORITIES AND FUTURE WORKS Key Priorities • Rolling National Program of BMP development & review • Delivered through the Estate Works Program • Support internal development of BMPs providing specialist bushfire advice • Specialist bushfire advice for Low Risk Sites • Continuous improvement bushfire management processes through partnership with Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (CRC)

Bushfire Management– KEY PRIORITIES AND FUTURE WORKS Continuous Improvement • Continuous improvement of bushfire management processes through partnership with Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (CRC)

Bushfire Management– WHAT WE VALUE • • Know the Land Management Manual Take a holistic approach Stakeholder engagement is important Understand Defence context and activities in order to provide specific bushfire technical support • Analysis of bushfire risk treatment – Reasonable – Practical • GEMS data

Bushfire Management – KEY PERSONNEL Defence Bushfire Key Personnel DEHPD • Tracee Martin • Chris Hall • Fred Ford • Caitlin O’Meara DEEESD • Amanda Harris SDD - ESD • DOTAM • Base Manager • ESM • EMOS • DEPU

Bushfire Management - POC • ADEHPD – Tracee Martin • Mob: 0437 287 237 • • environmentandheritage@defence. gov. au tracee. martin@defence. gov. au 19