Jessica Benton
Environmentalists have attacked a project carving fire breaks up to 40 metres wide around towns on the Great Great Ocean Road.
Geelong Environment Council president Joan Lindros said the breaks would devastate native plants and animals but do little to protect residents from bushfire.
“It’s an extreme, knee-jerk reaction that hasn’t been well-thought-through as a result of the recent bushfires,” Ms Lindros said.
“The damage to the flora and fauna and the natural environment is going to be devastating.
“With the types of fires we’re going to get, the embers won’t be stopped by a 40 metre buffer and I certainly wouldn’t recommend any more.”
Surf Coast Shire, Country Fire Authority, Parks Victoria and the Department of Sustainability and Environment have been trialling the “asset protection zones” around Anglesea for the past 12 to 18 months.
The department has submitted a proposal for Federal Government approval to continue clearing the fire breaks.
The authorities’ reduced fire fuel plan includes fire breaks on the edges of Lorne, Anglesea, Kennett River, Wye River, Airey’s Inlet, Fairhaven and Moggs Creek.
The plan covers private and public land, including national and state parks.
Weeds and “highly flammable vegetation” were the main targets, according to the authorities.
The plan also includes “fuel reduction burns”, which have covered large areas along the ocean road around Anglesea.
A spokesperson for state Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings said the 40-metre buffers were at the “extreme” end of the scale.
Most buffers were about 20 metres wide, the spokesperson said.
Surf Coast Shire Mayor Libby Mears has defended the works.
“They are in no way knee-jerk reaction to the recent bushfires throughout Victoria,” she said.
“These fires really highlighted the importance of council, emergency services and other land managers working together behind the scenes to manage the extremely high bushfire risks our communities face.”