How best to burn your backyard

A PRACTICAL workshop about useful burning practices is set to take place in the region later this month led by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority.

Taking place near Lethbridge, the event will feature presentations from Fire Risk Consultants, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, and Golden Plains Shire representatives. with the aim of reintroducing fire as a landscaping tool.

With more than 40 years’ burning experience and 30 years with the CFA, Greg Harry of Fire Risk Consultants will be one of the presenters, teaching attendees about his cool fire practice.

He said an aim of the workshop is to get landowners familiar with how to use fire again.

“I introduced a new style of teaching in my last couple of DEECA that made them think about the style of intensity of fires and how they apply them,” he said.

“There’s a whole generation of Australians that don’t understand and are scared fire. It should be part of what we’re doing.

“Cool fires are easily managed. They just burn a little bit a day without cooking the soil and tree. They trickle in and out and then there’s the entertaining part of seeing what grows from that.

“I see it on my own property, plants that just regerminate from a seed stored into the ground after I apply a little bit of cool fire.”

Called Burning In Your Backyard, the workshop has been funded through the Federal Government.

The event is the second to take place between the organisations following an inaugural session in October which saw more than 30 attendees.

CCMA project officer Madeleine Slingo said their presenter’s different approaches will bring a comprehensive approach.

“Blair [Gilson from Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation] brings the cultural perspective and he’s a leader in their fire team,” she said.

“Dale [Smithyman] from the council brings his CFA and cool burning experience as well.

“A workshop like this is a way to empower people.”

The workshop’s address will be provided to those who register for the Saturday, 27 May event. To take part email Ms Slingo at [email protected].