How cultural burning helps us prepare for bushfires

First Nations people are aware of the benefits of low-intensity cool burns, carried out with detailed knowledge of a place, to support vegetation and wildlife and to reduce the scale of bushfires. Cultural burning is part of a complete system of care of country and helps reduce the intensity of bushfires in the future.

The residents of Mt Resilience know about the value of fire and cultural burning. But what does this knowledge look like in practice? Discover insights into cultural burning by playing Mt Resilience.

And, watch the ABC's Big Weather series episode 'Preparing for the fire season with cultural burning'.

Rangers can provide guidance on how to use burning techniques in our own backyards, instead of mowing.

As described by Koori Country Firesticks Aboriginal Corporation: “cultural burning involves applying fire to the bush in a controlled and methodical approach where the fire acts like water in trickling through the country. It moves slow and ‘cool’ and burns in a circular pattern away from single ignition points.

When a burn happens in Mt Resilience, everyone in the local area receives a health warning about the smoke. This is especially important for vulnerable people with respiratory conditions.

Landowners can take advantage of government and insurance incentives to purchase fire tolerant building materials, like concrete posts and other non-flammable or non-toxic materials.

First Nations peoples use cultural burning to no only protect cultural and natural assets through fuel reduction, but to also manage and regenerate food, fibre and flora. Different qualities of smoke are also managed for medicine, communication, cooking and ceremony.