Bushfire risks across 26 regional and metropolitan local government areas have been significantly reduced with nearly 940 mitigation activities thanks to State Government mitigation funding.
The funding by the Western Australian Government includes Royalties for Regions funding to assist regional local governments, as well as the inaugural $35 million mitigation funding led by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.
For the first time, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services has been given funding to work with local governments and other agencies to lead greater mitigation activities on Unallocated Crown Land and Unmanaged Reserves.
In 2019-20, $11 million has been budgeted for more mitigation work in areas that have previously proved difficult to address.
Under the Mitigation Activity Fund (MAF) more than 20 regional local governments have been assisted to create fire breaks, conduct prescribed burns, clear access roads, and reduce weeds to improve community safety.
Local governments have also benefited from the $15 million Bushfire Risk Management Planning funding which includes more Bushfire Risk Management Officers and Co-ordinators to help prepare plans.
To date, 45 local governments have either completed or are completing a Bushfire Risk Management Plan (BRMP) which identifies the bushfire risks in their areas.
Local governments with an endorsed BRMP are eligible for funding under MAF.
So far in 2019, eight local governments have been allocated $1.6 million in mitigation funding to help reduce the threat of bushfires in their communities.
They include the shires of Collie, Mundaring, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Northam and Gingin; and the cities of Joondalup, Rockingham and Cockburn who have been assisted with 140 mitigation activities.
A further round of mitigation funding will open in August 2019.
Source: WA Government