The UN World Meteorological Organisation predicts 2015 will be the world’s hottest year on record, due to a strong El Nino season and global warming. And local research from the Climate Council has found hot days are occurring more frequently and heatwaves are becoming hotter and longer.
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Against that backdrop, Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis is absolutely right in questioning the Defence Minister over the protocols in place at the Beecroft Weapons Range. A statement from Defence the day after the fire threatened the village last Thursday certainly raised more questions than it answered.
While admitting a live mortar fire exercise had been conducted on the extremely hot and windy day, over which a total fire ban had been imposed, the Defence statement said, “The firing was being conducted in compliance with all applicable fire safety procedures and tolerances.”
Clearly, the firing was not conducted within RFS guidelines, which had not only imposed the total fire ban but had urged also urged harvesting be halted on the day. The weapons range is Defence land and it would seem the procedures and tolerances differ vastly from those applied by the RFS. This is despite another claim in the Defence statement:
“Live firing activities conducted by the Australian Defence Force, particularly on defence training areas and ranges, take full account of fire risks.
“This is achieved through implementing effective Defence instructions policies and procedures, which were updated in 2013, to take account of the findings of national Inquiries and to reflect current warnings and other related protocols.”
Fortunately, Currarong was spared, thanks largely to the deployment of two heavy airborne tankers, which established a retardant line to interdict the blaze as it changed direction with the arrival of the predicted southerly. The cost of calling in the aerial tankers would have run into tens of thousands of dollars.
If the policies and procedures upon which Defence relies allow live firing to take place during a total fire ban, with a few kilometres of a town and on a day for which a major wind shift is predicted, there is clearly a need for them to be adapted. And there is also a need for better communication. While we are proud our coverage led to the Defence Minister being informed of the blaze, we are concerned the news didn’t reach the minister’s office through Defence channels.
