WA Government burning money and ecosystems in new budget

26 June 2025

MEDIA RELEASE

Drone image of Harewood, a forest block in the South West

Harewood Forest (pictured) is on the burn list this year, which could be potentially devastating for this delicate ecosystem.

Southwest residents are feeling burnt after the Government has given the green light to even more prescribed burning in this week’s state budget, despite calls from scientists, conservation groups and residents to overhaul WA’s prescribed burning practices.

Loss of habitat and destruction of vegetation is on the way for the South West with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) receiving $65 million for prescribed burns this coming financial year and future funding of an additional $4 million taking the total budget to nearly $69 million by 2028-29. Bushfire suppression has taken a back seat, receiving only $48 million with a future increase of $2 million, taking the total budget to $50 million by 2028-29.

A collapsed Tingle tree in the Valley of the Giants after a prescribed burn

Around 180 tingle trees in the Valley of the Giants collapsed after a prescribed burn in 2024

Lines attributable to Western Australian Forest Alliance Senior Campaigner Jason Fowler:

“The department is not listening to calls from the community and scientists, and has instead barrelled on with their destructive prescribed burning program while ignoring moves by their eastern states counterparts who have ramped up funding on rapid bushfire detection and suppression systems”.

“1930s era manned fire towers are still being used to detect forest fires in WA, while the rest of the world moves towards advanced AI fire camera systems that are clearly far more effective at dealing with bushfires”

“Put simply, the WA Government is spending more on lighting fires than putting them out, and that has to change.”

“Outdated KPIs for large-scale burning are resulting in more burns in the middle of the bush, instead of close to towns where bushfires are risking homes and lives.”

“WA’s forest ecosystems are crying out for a complete overhaul of our prescribed burning and bushfire suppression practices, in line with 21st century science and technology.”

Media contact
Jason Fowler | Senior Campaigner WA Forest Alliance | 0487806385 | jason.fowler@wafa.org.au

Protect the tingles from prescribed burning, for good

Tingles are a large, ancient tree species that are only found in a small area in WA’s Southwest, close to Walpole. They can live for more than 400 years, reach heights over 55 metres and have the largest base of any eucalypt, and provide critical habitat to many threatened plants and animals. They are vulnerable to frequent fire.

In December 2024, Giants East, a tingle forest block in the famed Valley of the Giants, was torched as part of the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA)’s prescribed burning program.

More than 100 giant trees collapsed in the intense burn, with flames reaching the tops of many trees in one of the worst outcomes seen by WA’s prescribed burning program.

After persistent community action, three tingle-karri blocks, Nornalup, Coalmine and Mount Clare received a reprieve at the end of 2025 and were removed from the burn plan until July 2026.

But these blocks, and other tingle forests, aren’t safe forever. They could be on the burn plan for 2026-27. There must be a commitment from the WA Government to permanently protect tingles from prescribed burning and revise how fire is managed in these areas.

Over time, tingle forests self-thin and become naturally less flammable. Left unburnt, they are less of a fire risk than forests burnt in the last 30 years.

In a drying climate that is increasingly prone to bushfires, it’s important to be bushfire ready, but prescribed burning shouldn’t be the only tool in our bushfire prevention kit. It is vital that the Southwest’s prescribed burning practices reflect current science and a changed climate, and funding is directed towards rapid detection and suppression of bushfires.

Smoking collapsed Tingle after the giants east burn

It is of the highest priority that the tingles are protected from fire not just in this burn plan, but for good.

Please contact the Premier and relevant Ministers using our template to urge them to permanently protect tingle forests from prescribed burning. Enter your details to start writing your email.

Read more about the Giants East burn or about rapid suppression technology.