Published on 05 Mar, 2015 02:32 PM
NSW National Parks, the Forestry Corporation of NSW and local governments have received more than $2.5 million in funding to support activities to manage bush fire risks.
The Bushfire Risk Management Grants Scheme will fund 126 projects as part of the Natural Disaster Resilience Program, which is administered by the Commonwealth and state government.
The average grant was $20,000. One grant, to the Hawkesbury Council, totalled $167, 000 for mitigation activities in the Western Bowen Mountain area.
Regional areas to benefit included Tumbarumba, Brewarrina, Parkes and Tamworth.
Emergency Services Minister Stuart Ayres said the funding would provide a major boost to projects focussing on bushfire prevention.
“The program has approved the maintenance of 115 fire trails and 10 fire towers, important in densely forested areas such as National Parks and State Forests,” Mr Ayres said.
“Fire towers are important to detect fires early giving fire crews a greater chance of extinguishing them while they are still relatively small and fire trails provide easier access to fires.”
Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan said while natural hazards are a fact of life in Australia, steps can be taken to manage them.
“It is only by working together that we can reduce the potentially destructive impacts of future disasters such as bushfires.”
Whilst it is good to spend money on bushfire risk management, it is a bloody disgrace that it takes the fear of loosing his job to get Mr Ayres out of his chair.
These mad spending promises are always forthcoming just before an election. It would be nice if the Minister for Emergency Services simply DID A GOOD JOB FROM THE BEGINNING.
Mr Ayres, I think that you have left your run too late.