Factors enabling fire management outcomes in Indigenous Savanna fire management projects in Western Australia

Tom Vigilante; Catherine Goonack; Desmond Williams; Aidan Joseph; Leigh-Ann Woolley; Rohan Fisher

doi:10.1071/WF24092

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Factors enabling fire management outcomes in Indigenous Savanna fire management projects in Western Australia

Tom Vigilante ^A ^B ^C ^I ^* , Balanggarra Aboriginal Corporation ^E , Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation ^F , Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation ^G , Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation ^A , Catherine Goonack ^A , Desmond Williams ^A , Aidan Joseph ^D , Leigh-Ann Woolley ^H ^I and Rohan Fisher ^D

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation, PMB 16 Kalumburu via Wyndham, WA 6740, Australia.

^B Bush Heritage Australia, PO Box 329, Flinders Lane, Vic 8009, Australia.

^C School of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.

^D Northern Institute, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia.

^E Balanggarra Aboriginal Corporation, PO Box 821, Kununurra, WA 6743, Australia.

^F Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation, PO Box 648, Derby, WA 6728, Australia.

^G Wilinggin Aboriginal Corporation, PO Box 453, Derby, WA 6728, Australia.

^H WWF-Australia, P.O. Box 1980, Cable Beach, WA 6725, Australia.

^I Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: tom.vigilante@wunambalgaambera.org.au

International Journal of Wildland Fire 33, WF24092 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF24092

Submitted: 29 May 2024 Accepted: 25 July 2024 Published: 30 August 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of IAWF. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Background

Balanggarra, Dambimangari, Wilinggin and Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners in Western Australia operate Savanna Fire Management projects under the collective North Kimberley Fire Abatement Project.

Aims

We examine changes to the fire regime before and after the initiation of these projects and discuss implications for incentivising savanna fire management.

Methods

Using established methods and high-resolution imagery, we compared fire metrics between baseline (2001–2011) and project years (2012–2022).

Key results

Fire seasonality notably shifted from late to early dry season dominance with fewer late season fires across, resulting in carbon abatement. While total area burnt remained similar, annual fire pattern transitioned from a cyclical to less variable regime. Fire patchiness, fire age diversity, and area of long unburnt vegetation increased while fire frequency decreased. A minimum of 4 years of fire management was required before significant changes in fire metrics were observed.

Conclusions

The fire regime on Traditional Owner lands has improved significantly, enabled by the emergence of land and sea management, carbon markets, support of partner agencies, and the securing of land rights.

Implications

Beyond carbon credits, access to technology holds promise for sustained improvements to adaptive fire management built on strong foundations of traditional burning practices.

Keywords: Aboriginal fire management, Carbon Abatement, Savanna Fire Management.

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