In mid-December 2020, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) conducted a prescribed burn. This workshop was held amongst the breathtaking tingle trees of the majestic Valley of the Giants, Western Australia. Its purpose is to lower the risk of dangerous summer bushfires. It has come under fire for its negative impact on local flora and fauna, in particular the native tingle trees. As a result, these trees are considered near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their widespread destruction has led environmental groups to press urgently to end harmful burning and reevaluate current practices.
First, the prescribed burn really captured the public’s imagination. In doing so, it killed a 400-year-old tingle tree. But reports indicate hundreds of other trees were felled. Research found that the burn was well beyond what had been considered safe according to guidelines established years earlier. DBCA maintains that prescribed burns play an essential role in protecting communities from uncontrolled fires in other parts of the state. Specialists argue that this could not be effective for areas with lots of tingle trees.
The Impact of Prescribed Burns on Tingle Trees
Whatever the case, the Valley of the Giants’ red tingle trees will leave you spellbound. These iconic titans can live for more than five centuries and reach heights of more than 75 meters. These peculiar trees are restricted to only 60 square kilometers — a little over 23 square miles — of the South West region of Western Australia. The burn went beyond what had been prescribed, burning more than 40 percent of the planned karri and tingle tree upper crowns. This has caused serious concern among scientists regarding the long-term impacts to these important, charismatic species.
Dr. Joe Fontaine, eminent environmental scientist, raised serious concerns about the shortcomings of DBCA’s post-burn monitoring protocol. He noted that there are extremely effective ways to just maintain fires. He said, here’s a big caveat — no one is following up over time to see how fire is affecting such plants and animals.
“How DBCA are structured, in terms of the resources they have, there’s not currently invested in doing post-burn monitoring.” – Joe Fontaine
Dr. Fontaine’s ecological assessment determined that the number of trees cut down during the burn far surpassed established thresholds established in the past. Historical data from a trial burn in 1997 indicated that a maximum loss of 10 trees per 100 hectares was acceptable, yet recent calculations suggest losses could exceed 100 trees per 100 hectares.
“In the late 90s, there was an exploration of [prescribed burning] and the recommendation was no more than 10 trees per 100 hectares.” – Joe Fontaine
This massive departure from guidelines has led to concerns about DBCA’s dedication towards protecting at-risk species such as the tingle tree.
Calls for Reassessment of Burning Practices
Reece Whitby, a local politician, has emphasized the need for a more balanced approach to prescribed burning practices. He said that year-round fire management is important in preventing the sort of extreme bushfires seen over the previous summer. Notably, he underscored the importance of understanding the impacts of these prescribed burns on near-threatened species.
Whitby added that the public, like the government, has been frustrated by DBCA’s response to the crisis.
“There’s been a very strong, continued public push to try and get this issue acknowledged by the department, and that hasn’t happened.” – Uralla Luscomb-Pedro
Uralla Luscomb-Pedro, a local environmentalist who witnessed the aftermath of the burn first-hand, expressed these feelings. During her investigation into the affected area, she counted numerous fire-felled trees, revealing a stark reality that contradicts DBCA’s assessments.
“After the burn, I went into the burn site and counted the fire-felled trees over an area of around 28 hectares … I counted 60 fire-felled trees.” – Uralla Luscomb-Pedro
Luscomb-Pedro argues that in making this decision, DBCA has not acknowledged and addressed this important issue. He then focuses on a deeply troubling theme of pushback from within the department.
“They have been perhaps brick-walling us and not acknowledging the issue.” – Uralla Luscomb-Pedro
The Future of Fire Management in Tingle-Rich Areas
DBCA continues to assert that prescribed burning is an effective tool for managing fire risks in various regions of Western Australia. Experts including Dr. Fontaine warn against its use in tingle-rich locations because they are especially vulnerable to fire destruction. Their unusual structure, with their unique buttresses, makes tingle trees especially susceptible to damage during burns.
Dr. Fontaine was particularly worried that current practices not only risked the safety of these famous trees, but endangered these scientifically and culturally important trees.
“Prescribed fire does appear to be falling these large iconic and very beautiful tingle trees.” – Uralla Luscomb-Pedro
The debates around fire management have changed significantly. It’s time to reconsider our approach to prescribed burning so that we can safeguard sensitive ecosystems while mitigating wildfire threats in a more effective manner.
