The Torbay Bush Fire Brigade with assistance from the Elleker Brigade undertook a cool burn in some bushland yesterday. The winds were favourable making it an ideal day for less experienced volunteer fire fighters to work with more experienced crew in a relatively stress-free situation.
The private bushland site is part of a new TCG fire project, funded by the State NRM office. As part of the project, flora surveys were undertaken on this site prior to the burn, and a follow up flora survey will be conducted. The site is a hot spot for the critically endangered Western Ringtail Possum. The burn is part of habitat protection for the possum, and only a small section of the total bushland on this property was burnt. We will return to this site at regular interval over the next year to see at what stage possums return to the burnt section of bushland.
The local brigade did an excellent job of ensuring the burn was contained, important possum habitat trees were kept, and the burn was kept out of the tree crowns. Excellent work guys, hats off for the fantastic effort.
Below are links to a couple of short videos taken of the fire.
the next day showing unburnt patches of understorey
mopping up to make sure trees are saved and fire is contained
