Indigenous fire practices: Protecting Australia from bushfires

Fighting fire with fire: The case for cultural burning in Australia

Extreme heatwave conditions across several states as well as recent grass and bushfires have yet again ignited the debate about fire management.. We hear questions like:. when should prescribed burns take place, how frequently and who can provide the best advice and management?.

A fire at North Arm Cove last month;. burnt through around 800 hectares, and whether deliberately lit or not, the bushland here has not been cared for especially in the paper subdivision north of the township.. I visited the area in late 2024 and it was evident that this was a tinderbox situation waiting to flare up..

Among its many recommendations, the 2020 NSW Bushfire Inquiry stated that "in order to increase the respectful, collaborative and effective use of Aboriginal land management practices in planning and preparing for bush fire, government commit to pursuing greater application of Aboriginal land management, including cultural burning." Former Renew president and fire management advocate Dick Clarke says, "We desperately need a new way of managing non-urban and peri-urban land in Australia, to avert or minimise wildfires, regenerate biodiversity, and aid in the regeneration of degraded and invaded landscapes." Fire should be applied selectively across space and time.. Unlike prescribed burning, cultural cool burns are done more frequently as conditions demand, and Aboriginal fire practitioners recognise when country needs to be burnt.. This keeps both human-made assets and natural systems safe..

For example, a cool burn can be done soon after heavy rain while the ground is still wet.. It is important not to damage the soil or the trees - only burn the low vegetation.. The tree canopy is where the seeds, the berries and the new tips provide sustenance for animals, it's where koalas climb to find fresh leaf or to escape the fire below..

By burning only the ground layers, trees remain undamaged, leaves unburnt and wildlife can continue to feed in the area.. Hazard reduction is implemented to reduce fuel loads but in many cases, it actually increases certain mid-storey vegetation and weeds which thrive after a hot fire.. Regulations on minimum intervals between burns are in direct conflict with cultural knowledge about the benefits of regular, patchy, low-intensity fires..

Furthermore, in NSW, legislation does not recognise the right to light a fire for cultural purposes.. Dr Tony Bartlett is an expert in forest fire management at the Australian National University and worked with the Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council.. "It's like a clash of two cultures at the moment," Dr Bartlett said..

"The concept of lighting a fire to maintain the health of a forest didn't enter into the legislation." For the Bega Aboriginal fire crew, these regulations prevented them from undertaking follow-up burns at Tathra since 2018.. In some good news, the number of RFS brigades and NPWS rangers undertaking cooler burns is slowly increasing.. The sooner this practice is supported at a community level, the safer it will be for our natural and built environments - and for all of us..

Mainstream solutions using a mix of western science, modern technology and traditional knowledge can only work once there are changes to legislation to allow for it.. "The challenge is so great, it is bigger than all of us and needs everyone to work together to tackle it.. If we can come together and combine our expertise, underpinned and led by the foundations of indigenous cultural burning, then we have the best chance to turn this around" says Firesticks co-founder Victor Steffensen..

Port Stephens Council has been facilitating a three-year culturally-informed cool burn program in partnership with the Worimi LALC (Murrook Green Team) and Hunter Local Land Services who provide qualified fire practitioners trained by the Firesticks Alliance.. Having attended the three workshops and demonstration burns on Worimi Country at Mallabula, I can see how this is helping to improve koala habitats, re-establish appropriate fire regimes and reduce the risk and impact of wildfires.. Supporting Indigenous-led fire practices is not only about caring for the environment..

It's also a recognition of the deep cultural and spiritual connections Indigenous communities have with the land.. By learning from and working with them, we can foster a more harmonious relationship with country, one that benefits both people and the environment.. If you'd like to learn more about indigenous fire management, I recommend the book Fire Country by Victor Steffensen which is available in most local libraries..

There are also many articles and references available on The Conversation website.. Ewa Meyer is the convener of Renew's Hunter Region Branch.. About Renew Australia:.

Renew is a not-for-profit organisation with thousands of members including a regional branch in the Hunter.. Since 1980, Renew has been providing expert, independent advice on sustainable solutions to households, government and industry..