WA funds hazard reduction activity to cut bushfire risk
WA funds hazard reduction activity to cut bushfire risk
11 July 2022
The WA government has provided nearly $5 million to local governments to fund the building of fire breaks, reduction of fuel loads and hazard reduction burns during the cooler months.
Nineteen local governments will receive funds from this round of the bushfire Mitigation Activity Fund (MAF) grants program, which aims to lower bushfire risk.
Local governments from Geraldton to Esperance will undertake 544 mitigation activities on state-owned land ahead of the next high-threat bushfire period.
Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson says fire and emergency services personnel responded to more than 900 bushfires that burned nearly 1.7 million hectares of land in the last high fire-risk period.
“The MAF program has proven to be a highly effective tool in boosting the number of bushfire mitigation activities being carried out each year and it is very encouraging to see more local governments apply for this funding for the first time,” he said.
Since 2017, the WA government has allocated more than $38.6 million to 55 local governments to conduct nearly 5100 mitigation activities.
The government says well-managed mitigation reduces bushfire risk without adversely affecting the environment, wildlife and ecosystems.
