Fears over fire-zone rule delays
Bushfire experts fear parts of the State face an increased risk from fire because a key recommendation from the Keelty inquiry is yet to be implemented.
Two years after the report into the February 2011 Perth Hills blaze was released, 43 recommendations have been implemented and 11 remain in progress.
Among them is a recommendation that responsibility for declaring bushfire-prone zones be transferred from local councils to the WA Planning Commission.
The change would likely increase fire-prone zones in WA, triggering building and land clearing requirements in high-risk areas.
The Keelty review was told that only two local governments had been declared bushfire prone, with some councils fearing the costs and requirements could limit development.
Locals Against Wildfires lobby group spokesman John Guest said parts of the South West were "ready to explode" given the right conditions.
"How many people need to die before this State decides to declare the high-risk areas bushfire-prone, and put the steps in place to better protect the community," he said.
Bushfire Front chairman Roger Underwood agreed that the recommendation should be implemented urgently. "I'm pushing pretty hard on this because I believe people will not do the right thing unless they are required to do so," he said.
Kerry Sanderson, who chairs the bushfire review implementation group formed after the inquiry, said all recommendations were being worked on. "While it is understandable that there is an expectation all recommendations are implemented as quickly as possible, the planning recommendations require considerable research, development and consultation once the preferred approach is selected," she said.
