The Greens are deeply grateful for the ongoing tireless efforts of our extraordinary emergency response personnel to help protect communities and our irreplaceable environmental assets on the West Coast. A huge number of resources, both mechanical and personnel, have been deployed and thankfully the fires have so far not posed an immediate threat to any communities.
We understand crews have been winched into the Huon Pine stands in Takayna, and will asses any damage. Many Tasmanians are anxiously waiting for news from our brave fire crews on the impacts. Of particular note is a Huon pine, HAR09, which is estimated to be one of the oldest trees on the planet.
Crews have also done tremendous work ensuring Overland Track walkers have been turned around to safety and that asset protection back burning is underway.
Mount Proteus, the Windermere plateau and Pine Forest Moor, are exceptionally special places of cultural and natural heritage values, home to ancient pencil pine groves and towering King Billy pines. The fire in this part of the Wilderness World Heritage Area will remind people of the devastation caused in 2016, and in 2019. Many Tasmanians are awaiting confirmation that the pine stands have not been affected, and that sections of the Overland Track are also protected.
The government must look at the present situation and see why we must continue to invest more in our firefighting capacity under worsening climate change, and why we must sensibly prioritise protecting natural heritage, as we do built heritage. In a biodiversity crisis our intact ecosystems are a global asset.
From both the 2016 and 2019 fire events came a series of critical recommendations from the Federal Government, some of which that have not been fully implemented. These must be a priority once the current emergency situation recedes.
We stand with our incredible emergency response crews on the ground and those in transit to lend a hand, as well as their families, as they continue to work to protect some of this island’s most precious places.
