Over the summer months in the southern half of Western Australia, bushfires rage through thousands of hectares of natural land. But fire cannot be allowed to run wild. Wildfires can destroy homes, buildings, fences, crops, stock and timber, and endanger human life. The Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) has a prescribed burning program to reduce fuels in forests and prevent large, intense wildfires. However, the practice is controversial. There is concern that fuel reduction burning has adverse environment effects. What is the real impact of such fires on the natural environment? by Dr Neil Burrows
Reprinted from LANDSCOPE, Autumn 1990, when Dr Burrows was employed as Fire Program Leader in CALM’s Research Division.