New Curtin research has shown how fuel reduction burning aimed at decreasing the likelihood of bushfires in Western Australia\u2019s South West forests have apparently increased fire risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lead researcher Associate Professor Phillip Zylstra, from the School of Molecular and Life Sciences at Curtin University said his study of Red Tingle<\/a> forest in the Walpole-Nornalup National Park found prescribed burning caused mass thickening of vegetation beneath the main forest canopy, which could result in greater fire risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe findings suggest southwest forests grow in a way that naturally reduces fire risk once they have recovered from disturbance such as natural bushfire, but prescribed burning has undermined this natural process to create a more fire-prone landscape,\u201d Associate Professor Zylstra said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen forest habitat is cleared through controlled burns, new plants regrow close to the ground where they are easily ignited. As they grow larger, the understorey becomes dense and flammable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOn the other hand, our study finds that a natural forest cycle would see these short-lived \u2018coloniser\u2019 shrubs disappear and the understorey become more sparsely vegetated over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTaller plants \u2018self-prune\u2019 or shed their lower branches and, after some decades, grow beyond the reach of many flames. Instead of acting as fuel, they slow the wind beneath them and become \u2018overstorey shelter\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n