The Shire of West Arthur was one of 17 regional communities to receive state government funding to help address bushfire risks in the community.
West Arthur received $67,000 of funding from the Mitigation Activity Fund to undertake 10 bushfire mitigation activities, such as planned burns and weed control.
Other South West shires, including Augusta-Margaret River, Boyup Brook, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Donnybrook-Balingup and Nannup, received a share of the $3.3 million in funding, although the Shire of Collie didn’t receive funding.
Emergency Services Minister Fran Logan said the Shire of Collie was ineligible for funding because it hadn’t completed its bushfire risk management plan in time.
Shire of Collie chief executive David Blurton said the shire had worked on the plan and would be looking for future funding for bushfire mitigation.
“The shire has worked closely with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services in finalising our Bushfire Risk Management Plan,” he said.
“The shire is now eligible to apply for funding to assist with mitigation works, including improved access to hydrants, mineral earth firebreak and mechanical clearing.
“The shire of Collie has applied for a total of $110,000 in eligible hazard works to mitigate the highest priority bush fire risks as part of round two of the Mitigation Activity Fund.”
In addition to the $3.3 million given to local governments, $1.2 million was also set aside under the Department of Fire and Emergency Service’s new Rural Fire Division to treat bushfire risks on unallocated Crown land.
Mr Logan said the funding would help prepare local communities for the summer period.
“This $3.3 million of mitigation funding for regional local governments will help to make communities safer as they deal with the almost ever-present threat of bushfires during the warmer periods,” he said.
“It is by identifying and treating bushfire risks that we can improve efforts at reducing catastrophic bushfires and make those fires that do occur hopefully more manageable.
“But we must always remember that fire is a part of the Western Australia landscape, and we must all play a role … in trying to reduce the chances of inevitable fires becoming unmanageable.”
