This photograph, in late 1950s, shows an Alpine Fire Prevention technique of "burning off" low levels of scrub to reduce the level of available fuel against any possible summer bush fires. The Alpine regions accumulate high levels of potential fuel (undergrowth and small shrubs) which if not reduced has the potential of breaking into a dangerous bush fire. The men in this photograph are not wearing any protective clothing. Their visibility to other firefighters is severely reduced by smoke. This photo is a snap shot in time when Occupational Health and Safety Legislation was in its infancy stage.This photograph details the fire prevention activities in the Victorian Alps under the management of the SEC Victoria. The level of undergrowth within the Australian bush needs to be kept under control to avoid the possibility of lightning strikes (during summer storms) igniting dry forests resulting in a major bush fire. Controlled fires within alpine regions are required not only to reduce the level of dry undergrowth but also to provide those various plant species requiring fire for regenerate. This method was used by the original inhabitants (Aborigines) as limited scrub fires were used to flush game and bird population for eating with the side benefit to those plants requiring the fire for regeneration.This black and white photograph shows an Alpine Fire Prevention technique of "burning off" low levels of scrub. The photograph is on 200gsm paper but it is not photographic paper. It can be assumed that the photo is not the original but a copy. alpine fire prevention, sec fire prevention

This photograph, from the 1950s, shows an Alpine Fire Prevention technique of "burning off" low levels of scrub to reduce the level of available fuel against any possible summer bush fires.The Alpine regions accumulate high levels of potential fuel (undergrowth and small shrubs) which if not reduced has the potential of breaking into a dangerous bush fire. The men in this photograph are not wearing any protective clothing. Their visibility to other firefighters is severely reduced by smoke. This photo is a snap shot in time when Occupational Health and Safety Legislation was in its infancy stage.This photograph details the fire prevention activities in the Victorian Alps under the management of the SEC Victoria. The level of undergrowth within the Australian bush needs to be under control to avoid the possibility of lightning strikes (during summer storms) igniting dry forests resulting in a major bush fire. Controlled fires within alpine regions are required not only to reduce the level of dry undergrowth but also to provide those various plant species requiring fire for regenerate. This method was used by the original inhabitants (Aborigines) as limited scrub fires were used to flush game and bird population for eating with the side benefit to those plants requiring that fire for regeneration.This black and white photograph shows an Alpine Fire Prevention technique of "burning off" low levels of scrub. The photograph is on 200gsm paper but it is not photographic paper. It can be assumed that the photo is not the original but a copy produced by the SEC Vic. See also KVHS 0413 and KVHS 0414 for other similar photos.kiewa valley tourism, victorian alps, alternate energy supplies, alpine population growth

This photograph, in late 1950s, shows an Alpine Fire Prevention technique of "burning off" low levels of scrub to reduce the level of available fuel against any possible summer bush fires. The Alpine regions accumulate high levels of potential fuel (undergrowth and small shrubs) which if not reduced has the potential of breaking into a dangerous bush fire. The men in this photograph are not wearing any protective clothing. Their visibility to other firefighters is severely reduced by smoke. This photo is a snap shot in time when Occupational Health and Safety Legislation was in its infancy stage.This photograph details the fire prevention activities in the Victorian Alps under the management of the SEC Victoria. The level of undergrowth within the Australian bush needs to be kept under control to avoid the possibility of lightning strikes (during summer storms) igniting dry forests resulting in a major bush fire. Controlled fires within alpine regions are required not only to reduce the level of dry undergrowth but also to provide those various plant species requiring fire for regenerate. This method was used by the original inhabitants (Aborigines) as limited scrub fires were used to flush game and bird population for food, with a side benefit to those plants requiring the fire for regeneration.This black and white photograph shows an Alpine Fire Prevention technique of "burning off" low levels of scrub. The photograph is on 200gsm paper but it is not photographic paper. It can be assumed that the photo is not the original but a copy. See also KVHS 0413 and KVHS 0415 for other similar photos.kiewa valley tourism, victorian alps, alternate energy supplies, alpine population growth

This publication of 119 pages features text, colour images, maps and detailed information related to the 2003 bushfires in Victoria.non-fictionA description of efforts to fight the bushfires in Gippsland in 2003, including maps and illustrations This volume was published as a tribute to the work of staff and volunteers who put themselves at risk to protect local communities. It shows the impact on those communities in Victoria and the support they gave to those involved in fighting largest bushfires in Victoria for 60 years. The Alpine bushfires started on 8 January 2003, a day of Total Fire Ban. Lightning ignited 87 fires in the North-East and East Gippsland regions. Eight of these fires were unable to be contained; they joined together to form the largest fire in Victoria since the Black Friday fires in 1939. The majority of the area burnt in Victoria was public land, 1.19 million hectares of parks and forests, including 60 per cent of the Alpine National Park and 81 per cent of the Mt Buffalo National Park. Firefighting efforts were made difficult in hard to access, remote forest terrain. Approximately 90,000 hectares of private land was burnt.forest fires -- victoria, bushfires, fires prevention and control