General News
28 February, 2025
Conditions axed Little Desert plan burn
Residents in and around the Little Desert National Park received a notification about a planned burn in the area in October last year which was never carried out.
The letter from Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) stated a planned burn was set to be carried out in the Central Block North Bk of the National Park, 7km south of Lawloit over the next few months.
The burn objective was to "develop fuel reduced areas of sufficient width and continuity to reduce the speed and intensity of bushfires".
After recent bushfire events, property owners were left wondering why it wasn't carried out.
"Due to unsuitable conditions, including a very dry spring, the planned burn did not go ahead," FFMVic Grampians deputy chief fire officer Jason Hellyer said.
"We conduct planned burns where they will achieve the greatest impact on reducing the risk of bushfire to the community and the environment when weather and local conditions are right."
The planned burn was to be carried out under the Joint-Fuel Management Program (JFMP) which is a three-year rolling program that nominates when and where planned burns should take place to meet land management objectives.
"Planned burning is an important part of our year-round bushfire risk management work to protect life, property and the environment," Mr Hellyer said.
Planned burns are sometimes modified which means they will be changed, rescheduled, removed or new burns could be added.
The program is designed to be flexible so activities can be moved when needed in response to weather and other contributing conditions.
To register for updates about planned burns happening near you visit