Gulf Savannah NRM’s three-year Fire Smart Mareeba Shire project successfully built local capacity and resilience in responding to and mitigating bushfire risk to our region. Participants took part in training and developed their own fire management plans and community events were held across the Shire. Let’s look back at the project to find out how you can build your own bushfire preparedness.
‘In these more remote country towns, it’s important for neighbours to work together. Everyone has to do their bit … keeping an eye out, helping to back burn … I just think it’s a given that everyone is helping each other,’ said Norman, a member of the project’s Leafgold cluster, based around Dimbulah.
The importance of neighbouring property owners working together for bushfire planning and mitigation can’t be overstated and was a major focus of the project. It led to six cluster groups of neighbours being formed, which helped to strengthen relationships and allowed members to learn from each other.
‘The people who have been here a long time know what to do better than I would,’ explained Theuns who was also part of the Leafgold cluster, ‘so I follow their lead and learn from that. They know when to back burn — and when not to.’
The cluster groups were trained in risk mitigation, pasture assessment and developed fire management plans for their properties.
Fire Smart Mareeba Shire was a whole-of-community project with support from fire and land management agencies and groups, Indigenous ranger groups, property managers and residents.
Find out more about the project by reading the full Gulf Croaker article: