More funding needed for bushfire risk management planning in Capes region

[Pelican Press 0]

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More funding needed for bushfire risk management planning in Capes region

Capes local governments have raised concerns they are struggling to secure adequate State Government funding for bushfire preparedness as more regions buy into the program.

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River and the City of Busselton were early adopters of formal Bushfire Risk Management Plans used to audit, collate and identify areas of risk for the sake of programmed mitigation works.

However, funding had not kept pace with uptake of the scheme, leaving councils scrambling to make ends meet.

Spokespersons for the city and the shire confirmed partial funds were received in the recent first round of the program, but extra money would be sought in the program’s next stage.

The situation was recently derided by Augusta-Margaret River councillor and veteran volunteer firefighter Ian Earl as “a ******* disgrace”.

“It would appear other councils have started to get their act together, but the pie is the same size,” he said.

“The slices are getting thinner.

“It’s just the typical shambles we continue to see from the State Government.”

In July, the WA Local Government Association called for the $15 million funding pool to be increased after applications more than doubled from 35 to 83 local governments.

WALGA also said the program had to expand to include community education and other measures to increase community resilience.

A State Government spokesperson said almost $60 million had been awarded since 2017 for mitigation works across 72 local governments.

Busselton’s acting community planning director Dave Goodwin acknowledged further funding would be needed.

“The Mitigation Activity Fund grant program has had a positive uptake from local governments in the State, which has meant that funding has been capped,” he said.

“The city received $290,000 in round one of the MAP grant program and intends to apply for a further $410,000 in round two of the grant program, which will help the city continue to mitigate the risk of bushfire in our community.”

Augusta-Margaret River shire sustainable development and infrastructure director Nick Logan said despite the shortfall cited by Cr Earl, the program was able to be completed.

“We received $116,000 in the first round of the 2024-25 MAF grant program and hope to be successful in receiving additional funds in round two,” he said.

“While there was a shortfall in first round funding for the mechanical hazard reduction program, the hazard reduction burning program is able to be completed with the allocation received.”

BRMPs were a key tool for local governments to control fuel loads and perceived threats on public land and near population centres, coming to the ***** after governing agency the Department of ***** and Emergency Services gazetted big parts of the Capes region as bushfire-prone zones after the 2011 Margaret River bushfires.

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#funding #needed #bushfire #risk #management #planning #Capes #region

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