‘Program Grasstree’ is our progressive three-year mitigation program supporting sustainable vegetation management and hazard mitigation outcomes. Program Grasstree incorporates technologies and electronics, cultural land management practices, Queensland bioregion and regional ecosystem framework guidelines, community engagement activities, and local knowledge.
Operation Sesbania
‘Operation Sesbania’ is the annual bushfire mitigation component of Program Grasstree where we partner with land management agency partners such as the Department Environment and Science (National Parks and Wildlife Service) , Department of Resources, Local Government, HQ Plantations (Queensland’s largest plantation forest company) as well as other landowners/managers across the state undertake mitigation activities to prepare for the coming bushfire season.
The planning and conducting of an annual mitigation program across the state identifies and supports the variances of weather, topography, and vegetation types (Bioregions) that require different mitigation strategies at different times of the year.
This program while reducing the risk also integrates cultural land management practices to enhance the health of the land and its people.
The overall clear priority for Operation Sesbania is the protection of Queensland’s communities from the impact of bushfires.
In line with the Queensland Bushfire plan, Area Fire Management Groups meet across the state to develop local priorities and plan mitigation activities within their areas.
These decisions and plans are supported by a combination of state-wide data (vegetation mapping), burnt area records, previous mitigation activities, community infrastructure, and local knowledge.
The types of mitigation activities vary across the state, hazard reduction burns are undertaken to reduce fuel loads, other burns are undertaken to remove or reduce weed infestation or to support environmental outcomes. Fire trail and firebreak construction and maintenance programs are undertaken to provide access for fire fighters and to reduce vegetation near property.
Community education and awareness programs through media and other advertising campaigns are undertaken to inform and educate the community on bushfire Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Recovery activities and the importance of having a Bushfire Survival plan.
Some community engagement campaigns are targeted to inform residents in the highest priority areas of actions they can take to better prepare for bushfires before, during and after.
The bushfire season can extend through to February depending on rainfall and weather conditions.
Preparations for bushfire season can be undertaken at any time, for information to better prepare for bushfires it is recommended that people prepare a Bushfire Survival Plan and take the simple actions listed elsewhere on the website.