Page 3054 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 22 August 2017
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To ensure that this continues, I can assure the community that, as Canberra expands, regular reviews of the built-up area will continue to make sure changes in the urban landscape are reflected in arrangements. The most recent of these changes was in April this year, where the built-up area boundaries were updated to include the suburbs of Throsby and Jacka as built-up areas. This was notified by the acting ESA commissioner in a notifiable instrument. ACT Fire & Rescue is responsible for built-up areas and the ACT Rural Fire Service is responsible for everything outside the BUA. However, it is important to point out that any changes to the BAZ and built-up area do not alter existing response arrangements, which are that the first response to all grass and bushfires in the ACT will be by the nearest available, most appropriate resource, irrespective of the jurisdiction or service.
In relation to built-up areas encroaching on the New South Wales border, I am advised that this is not expected to occur for a number of years. However, I understand that consideration is already being given to this matter and that discussions have commenced with New South Wales through cross-border reforms. I am assured by the ESA that prior to any built-up areas encroaching on the New South Wales border, appropriate arrangements will be put in place, not just for emergency services but for other general services as well.
The government has anticipated the need to ensure that the community continues to be protected to the highest levels in the face of the increasing threat of climate as the city continues to grow and expand. This is why the government introduced section 77B of the Emergency Services Act, which allows the commissioner, under the strategic bushfire management planning framework, to set high standards of protection in planning and development so that the safety of the community continues to be the first priority of this government.
The strategic bushfire management plan, or SBMP, underpins all of the ESA’s work in relation to bushfire management. The focus of the SBMP is to protect the community and its assets by preventing bushfires, mitigating their impact, and coordinating across government during emergencies and recovery. It is a dynamic document that allows emergency services and fire managers to have the flexibility they require to implement measures that reduce bushfire risk and to apply improved methods and knowledge as they are developed.
The SBMP is reviewed and renewed every five years under section 72 of the Emergencies Act and sets out complementary and integrated strategies through which the government and the community will reduce the risks of bushfire in the ACT. Another important aspect of the SBMP is to focus attention to where the risk is the greatest. The ESA is able to refine its focus from a broadbrush approach to pinpoint exactly where the ACT is most vulnerable as a community.
The ESA is also able to use science to better map where risks are greatest. Ongoing changes to prediction and information systems, and improvements to systems for issuing warnings and alerts, mean the that ESA is far better placed than ever before to provide the community with the best possible early advice to assist in their protection.
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