Every year, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction (DBCA) burns around 200,000 ha of forests and other ecosystems in the South West of WA.

Whilst the program is intended to reduce the risk of wildfire, in reality, frequent burning is increasing flammability in some ecosystems as well as having profoundly negative impacts on biodiversity, climate and people’s health.

This issue has come sharply into focus recently with imminent prescribed burns by DBCA planned adjacent to the town of Nornalup on WA’s south coast. This area is within the Walpole-Nornalup National Park, one of WA’s first national parks, receiving protection in 1910, and as a result, is the best example of old growth Tingle forest in the State. Some areas of the proposed burn have not been burnt in over 55 years and are teeming with native mammals and birds, such as Mardo, Quenda, Rakali, Phascogales, Vulnerable Quokkas and Forest Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, Endangered Carnaby’s Cockatoos as well as Critically Endangered Baudin’s Black Cockatoos and Western Ringtail Possums.

DBCA’s burn plan details how boats and flame torches will be used to ignite the riverbank and low heathland flanking the Frankland River, destroying the quokkas favoured habitat. Further incendiaries will ignite the surrounding Tingle forest and allow very little chance for nocturnal native mammals to reach safety. This method also elevates the risk of an escaped bushfire threatening other areas of the National Park including the iconic Giant Tingle Tree and Circular Pool and will blanket the area in smoke. Real alternatives exist with early detection and rapid suppression fire management technology already being deployed around the world.