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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 16(3)

Efficacy of permanent firebreaks and aerial prescribed burning in western Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia

Owen F. Price A D , Andrew C. Edwards B C and Jeremy Russell-Smith B C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfire, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.

B Bushfires Council of the Northern Territory, PO Box 37346, Winnellie, NT 0821, Australia.

C Tropical Savannas Cooperative Research Centre, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: oprice@uow.edu.au

International Journal of Wildland Fire 16(3) 295-307 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF06039
Submitted: 24 March 2006  Accepted: 29 October 2006   Published: 3 July 2007

Abstract

We investigated the efficacy of firebreaks in the prevention of wildfires in the Arnhem Land Plateau, a vast, rugged and sparsely populated region with high biodiversity value and frequent wildfires. A total of 623 events where a fire met a permanent firebreak (cliffs, stream order, tracks and roads) in different fire seasons were compiled. Cliffs were more effective than streams at stopping fires, which were more effective than roads. Larger streams were more effective than small ones. The largest streams stop 75% of early dry season fires, but there are no firebreak types with more than 50% likelihood of stopping a late dry season fire. Geographic Information System (GIS) surfaces of the relative density of the three firebreak features in the landscape were randomly sampled and compared with the total number of fires and late dry season fires using generalised linear modelling. Several of the density variables were weakly but significantly related to fire frequency, and it appears that late dry season fires are influenced by features at a larger scale (16-km radius) than total fires (4 km). The Aerial Prescribed Burning program for 2004 was studied to identify how effective it was at stopping subsequent wildfires by dividing ignition lines into 137 5-km sections. Only 20% of sections achieved a 100% burn and where gaps occurred, a subsequent fire was 88% likely to penetrate the line. Firebreaks are not certain instruments for fire management in this area.

Additional keywords: bushfire, fire control, fire management, wildfire.


Acknowledgements

The present work was funded by the Natural Heritage Trust and the Tropical Savannas Cooperative Research Centre. This study and indeed the vital fire management work behind it could not have occurred without the support and fire management of the Adjamarlal, Djelk, Manwurrk, Djawoyn, Weemol and Kakadu Rangers. Thanks also to Peter Cooke and Pascale Taplin, Northern Land Council, for developing and coordinating on-ground components of the Western Arnhem Land fire management program.


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