CFA conducted a 10.5-hectare grassland burn at the West Sale Aerodrome in Fulham on Thursday 19 March. The West Sale Aerodrome, managed by Wellington Shire Council, contains the endangered Plains Grassy Woodlands Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC).
Fire is a natural part of many of Victoria’s ecosystems and important for maintaining biodiversity over time. Ecological burning can be used to manage a particular plant species, vegetation communities and/or native animal habitat.
The Wellington Shire Council and CFA have partnered for several years to promote native values at the site as well as contributing to the protection of aerodrome assets through planned burning.
Eight brigades were involved in the recent planned burn alongside Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV) staff. The planned burn gave new CFA volunteers an opportunity to use drip torches and learn valuable suppression methods.
CFA and FFMV plan to undertake several planned burns together in Wellington Shire this autumn on both private and public land.
