Bushfire risks: Sapphiretown/Island Beach Association demands Council action — Carey, Ian, 2013.02.22

SAPPHIRETOWN ISLAND BEACH RESIDENTS PROGRESS ASSOCIATION INC.
Po Box 600, Penneshaw, SA 5222
ph. 0885537178, 0418811228
Sirpa09@live.com.au

22 February 2013

Dear Andrew Boardman, Jayne Bates & councillors

In light of the recent fire at Cygnet river and the atrocious state of Sapphiretown/Island Beach in regards to the amount of fuel loads this area carries, we DEMAND COUNCIL ACTION.

Council has a duty of care to the community and as such should be doing everything it can to help prevent/alleviate or minimise the risk of fire to ones property or personnel.

According to the Fire & Emergency services act 2005 & amended in 2009, a rural council is required to have  a district bushfire prevention committee which Kangaroo Island adapted to be called the bushfire risk management plan.

The aim of this plan is to minimise the risk of adverse impact of bushfire on life, property & the environment.

With the objectives being:

To manage fuel, to reduce the rate of spread & intensity of bushfires.

Reduce the community’s vulnerability to bushfire, & to provide strategies and ACTIONS which will contribute towards minimising the potential to cause damage to life, property & the environment.

The plan also states that adequate asset protection is a must to maximise fire fighter & occupant safety, and to improve property defend ability. Plus have improved access and egress in areas of potential entrapment.

Sapphiretown & Island Beach have been designated as being at extreme risk of bushfire with the priority for treatment at the highest level, but as we are now in 2013 and this plan was finalised in 2009 NOTHING has been done to alleviate even the smallest of risks. Is it going to take a fire to destroy the property of all residents & even our lives before council acts, and does what it is legislated to do and care for the community ?

It wouldn’t matter if every resident cleared all of their property when you still have neighbouring properties that are vacant with a abundance of fuel to burn. Every house in this area will still burn to the ground because council wont force the owners of vacant property to clear their land.

PLEASE DON’T RESPOND THAT  HAZARD REDUCTION COMPLIANCE DOESN’T APPLY TO VACANT LAND…..

This is a RESIDENTIAL AREA and if these blocks were in Penneshaw or Kingscote the owners would certainly be ordered to clear their land.

Its legislated that “ Clearance is allowed of native vegetation for the purpose of fire protection.” (Fire & Emergency services act)

Its also allowed for the construction of new road works, which can have a clearance of 5 m wide.

Under fire prevention control, native vegetation can be cleared if the purpose of the clearance is to reduce combustible material on land.

The onus is on council to take the steps required to prevent or inhibit the outbreak of fire and the spread of fire, plus to minimise the threat to human life from fire on the land.

Now when is council going to do what they are legislated to do, and finally get Island Beach & Sapphiretown in a more acceptable state ?

When are they going to demand people do hazard reduction work on their properties including vacant residential land ?

There are a number of residents in our community that have done all they can on their property, and if council will not enforce the powers they have in this regard and our houses burn to the ground we will lay a class action lawsuit against council for their negligence.

Sincerely

Ian Carey
SIRPA President

********************

25 February 2013

ATTENTION: Michael Pengilly
[SA MP]

Dear Michael,

Our association is seeking your support for our residents safety & wellbeing in regards to bushfire prevention. The Sapphiretown /Island Beach area has been rated at EXTREME with the highest priority for treatment, which was stated & planned in 2009.

As we are now in 2013 NOTHING has been done to alleviate even the smallest of risk.

With the recent fire in Cygnet river and the atrocious state of our area in regards to the high fuel loads, we need council to take action.

We live in a residential area, but it seems we don’t have the same rights or regulations that other residential areas on the Island or even the state have.

Council would issue a non compliance order on some ones vacant land in Penneshaw or Kingscote if they had any where near the fuel load we have, so why are we then ignored and practically left to burn?

There is over 100 permanent residents in Sapphiretown/Island Beach and even if every one totally cleared their property, with the amount of fuel loads these vacant properties have we would all still lose our homes and more likely our lives.

We need all the support we can get, to get council to do what they are legislated to do with not only their bushfire management plan but also their duty of care to the community.

Will you help us make our area safer for not only residents but the community at large?

I’m available to discuss this matter with you at your convenience.

Attached to this document is also a copy of our latest letter to council.

Sincerely

Ian Carey
SIRPA Prersident

See also:

Time for a ministerial enquiry into Kangaroo Island bushfire matters — Dr Bittar, Gabriel, 2013.02.18

Council disregards bushfire expert opinion and votes: NO to community input, NO to improved communication, NO to Council responsibility, NO to improved fire safety – 2013.02.13

A bushfire expert comments on Kangaroo Island fire prevention situation — Fenwick, Roger, 2013.02.13

Does Council understand its legal and moral fire obligations? – G. Bittar on Cr Walkom’s unanswered QoN, 2013.01.26

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