FESA identify fire hot spots
The Manjimup branch of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority has staked out its bushfire ‘‘hot spots’’ ahead of the coming bushfire season.
FESA Lower South West director John Tillman named areas within the Shire of Manjimup which ‘‘would most likely be lost’’ in a bushfire.
Mr Tillman said he held grave concerns for Quinninup, Deanmill, Tingleview Estate, Woodgate, Walpole and Browns Road.
‘‘There’s nowhere that you can say is not vulnerable but these areas are the most concerning,’’ he said.
Mr Tillman compared Northcliffe to Marysville in Victoria which was wiped out by the Black Saturday fires in 2009.
He said less than 20 per cent of properties in Tingleview, 30 per cent in Quinninup, 10 per cent in Northcliffe and 50 per cent of homes in Browns Road were prepared for a bushfire.
Mr Tillman said the subdivision of Hopp Garden in Karri Valley was ‘‘completely undefendable’’.
‘‘What we’ve got to appreciate and understand is that fire is a natural part of this landscape, it always has been and it always will be,’’ he said.
‘‘For too long the attitude of local and State Government departments, emergency services and the community has been too soft.
‘‘People need to be realistic and accept the consequences of where they live — fire is a natural part of this landscape and in reality we’re the intruders, not fire.’’
Mr Tillman said there was a ‘‘shared responsibility’’ in managing and lowering the risk of bushfire and that everyone needed to meet their end of the bargain.
