Introduction

South east Australia has one of the worst wildfire climates in the world. Luke and McArthur in Bushfires in Australia (1986) states that:

"...The wildfire danger becomes serious in some part of Victoria almost every two or three years. During the last 150 years probably as much as half the economic damage caused by bushfires in Australia has occurred in Victoria, though it occupies only about 3% of the total land surface..."

Forestry Industry Brigades (FIB) legislation was designed specifically for Victoria to reduce the impact of wildfire on it's plantation assets.

Forest Industry Brigades

In November 1997, the Victorian Government introduced legislation requiring forest plantation companies to form fire brigades when their plantation assets reached a critical size.

These industry-based fire brigades are operated by the plantation company but are under the operational control of CFA. Industry brigades are only required to service the companies' plantation assets for wildfire response and fire management planning. However if the parent plantation company desires, the brigade is empowered to operate outside their designated area.

Further Reading

CFA Dunmore Fire Report April 2005 (pdf 916k)
A report into fire behaviour associated with Australia's largest Blue Gum Plantation fire.