Otways mulching to reduce fire risk

FOREST Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) has started a program of mulching works to reduce bushfire risk in and around local townships.
The program is being rolled out across the Otway District, following a four-year trial which has seen multiple types of heavy-duty machinery tested on different types of vegetation in the region.
Flammable vegetation is being mulched to reduce bushfire fuel loads at locations including Ocean Grove, Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, Lorne, Wye River, Separation Creek, Kennett River, and Gellibrand.
The work is avoiding established trees and targeting dense ground vegetation including shrubs and woody weeds.
FFMVic crews and contractors are using all-terrain forest mowers and excavators with mulching capacity, in addition to a spider excavator, which can scale extreme slopes to conduct mulching works.
The spider excavator is one of the only machines of its type in Australia and moves along on arm-like extensions with wheels, rather than tracks, making it very stable on steep terrain.
Areas to be targeted in the program include the Ocean Grove Nature Reserve, steep slopes above North Lorne, and the Great Ocean Roadside near Hurst Road, Anglesea.
Mulching, and other fuel management works such as planned burning, mowing and slashing, are part of FFMVic’s year-round program to reduce bushfire risk for communities and the environment.
Reducing forest fuels mean fires are less intense, making it more likely that firefighters can contain them before they have an impact on people, property and the environment.
This work is one of the actions in the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan for the region.
FFMVic crews are adhering to appropriate social distancing and hygiene requirements to ensure they can safely continue fuel reduction operations.
“As it becomes harder to find windows of weather to safely conduct planned burning, it’s important we use a range of methods to reduce the bushfire risk,” FFMVic Otway District manager David Roberts said.
“Mulching is a safe and effective way to target and treat forest fuels particularly when there are homes and businesses in close proximity.”