Tasmania looks to its Indigenous community to better prepare for bushfires

The Tasmania government is after more input from the state's indigenous community about traditional land burning in the midst of a horror bushfire season.

Tasmania is looking to its Indigenous population for greater measures to reduce the threat of bushfires.

Tasmania is looking to its Indigenous population for greater measures to reduce the threat of bushfires. Source: TASMANIA FIRE SERVICE

Tasmania plans to work more closely with members of the Aboriginal community to better manage the land in preparation for bushfire seasons.

The state government on Monday announced it would invite indigenous people to give advice about cultural burning methods to the Statewide Fuel Reduction Steering Committee.

"As our nation suffers from devastating bushfires, we should draw on the deep connection Tasmanian Aboriginals have with the land," Premier Will Hodgman said in a statement.
A bushfire burns near Dolphin Sands on Tasmania's east coast.
A bushfire burns near Dolphin Sands on Tasmania's east coast. Source: TASMANIA FIRE SERVICE
"(We want to) share this knowledge in improved land management practices to help reduce the impact of wildfires in our community."

The government has established a $100,000 pilot grant program to allow Aboriginal communities to use cultural burning methods in their local area.

Three specialist positions for indigenous people have also been opened within the state's parks and wildlife service.

Massive deadly bushfires on mainland Australia this summer have prompted calls for a re-think of fuel-load and hazard reduction methods.


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Published 13 January 2020 4:00pm
Updated 13 January 2020 4:22pm


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