Point Henry Fire Management

Following a serious bushfire to the north of the Bremer Bay townsite in December 2012 Council embarked on a series of improvements to the fire management of the whole Shire and in particular the Point Henry peninsula.

Council prepared and adopted the Point Henry Fire Management Strategy in October 2014 as a local planning policy which documents the improvements required to improve fire safety and awareness on Point Henry.

Council then successfully prepared a Bushfire Risk Mitigation Plan (BRMP) for the whole local government area that identifies, prioritises and schedules mitigation works to improve fire safety for the whole community using an ‘asset based’ approach.

A brief summary of improvements to fire safety on Point Henry include:

• Roads within the Point Henry Peninsula have been upgraded and roadside vegetation slashed to assist in suppression and fire control activities;
• Existing 20m wide Strategic Breaks are maintained throughout Point Henry and these have been differentiated between those that are trafficable and those that perform a low fuel role only.
• A study has been completed by Nathan McQuoid and Gary McMahon; the Bremer Bay Point Henry Vegetation Mapping and Management Project that maps and analyses the vegetation communities present in Point Henry and surrounding reserves and provides with best practice mitigation methods and recommendations for land managers and private landowners.  Of particular interest to landowners in Point Henry is Appendix 8 of this report; the Vegetation Behaviour and Management at Bremer Bay and Point Henry Management Guide.
• A new water bombing facility has been developed at Bremer Bay Airfield with a 110Kl tank and amenities building established at a new aeroplane turnaround.
• The Shire has prepared a basic visual guide for vegetation in the Shire of Jerramungup to assist people in managing the risk to their properties and interpreting AS3959.
• The Shire in partnership with DFES and the Shire of Ravensthorpe employs a Community Emergency Services Officer to provide support to our community and volunteer brigades to plan and prepare for fire events.
• The Fire Control Information Notice has been amended as it relates to Point Henry to effectively bring all existing development up to standard in regard to fire mitigation requirements.  Compliant access, truck turnarounds, firefighting water and Asset Protection Zones are all required of each landowner, phased in over a year period.
• An information pack for Developing in Point Henry is available for landowners wishing to develop their properties.

For your assistance the Shire has compiled a list of local contractors who specialise in Point Henry Fire compliance requirements;

Background Documents

Point Henry Fire Management Strategy

Point Henry Appendices

Information Sheets

Point Henry Development

FAQ's 

Kwongkan Shrubland information

Plant Species for Hazard Protection Zones 

Fire Management Visual Fuel Guide

Images and Photographs

Aerial Photographs of existing residential Rural lots

Contour plans of existing residential Rural lots