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Published on: 6/13/2009
Last Visited: 10/19/2009
Scientist and farmer Noeline Franklin met with the Rural Fire Service Deputy Fire Commissioner Dominic Lane, Southern Region Manager Jeff Lucas and Lindsay Lashbrook, Riverina at Brindabella to explain the folly of the events leading up to the 2003 firestorm to the west of Canberra.
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Noeline and her family has long held the view the fires across the high country recently have been "man made events" as is the current and continued water crisis achieved by catchment management "over burning" at unprecedented intensities.
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Noeline went on to illustrate some of the issues and failures other than abandonment regionally of vegetation management, structure of fuel load.
Fire access tracks locked irreversibly, tracks inaccessible from hoodlum use of 4WD and off road bikes, aerial fire fighting limited by poor visibility in smoke and accessible water, turn around times, no use of retardant in "city" water catchments.
She called that erroneous, misleading and politically loaded historical Government reports be removed and discredited from any future planning process.
Had Mr Phil Koperberg NSW Member for Blue Mountains one time secretary for emergency services fulfilled his promise to the Brindabella community on 24.1.09 and been present then discussions could have included untenable ill informed legislation and regulation.
These discussions will be deferred to a suitable time in the near future.
Native vegetation laws, smoke nuisance, public misconceptions on cool burning, forestry and grazing as hazard reduction measures and known effective fire risk mitigating agents for security of community, biodiversity and the nations water.
Noeline was prepared to challenge the "science" underlying many failed and flawed public land management policies not delivering security for community, biodiversity or water.
Man has been using fire to good effect for over 250 000 years she said.