The ‘Black Summer’ Fires of 2019/20 were some of the worst every seen in Australia. In Queensland we experienced much larger fires than in the last 50 years. Crews had responded to nearly 3000 incidents during the fire season. Fatigue set in with crews working around the clock. The season as a whole took it’s toll on my mind and by the end of February after spending 5 days chasing fires in Canberra I was exhausted. But one thing was clear to me, something had to change.
Recently the talk has turned to Traditional Burning, led by the charismatic Victor Steffensen of Firesticks. I was contacted recently and told that such a burn would be occurring on Mount Tamborine only a stones throw away from my home that is nestled at the bottom of this ancient land. My good friend and colleague Greg Lincoln First Officer with Mount Tamborine RFB gave me the all clear to attend the burn to document it, I was so thrilled. The burn was led by Leeton Lee a member of his brigade but also an indigenous fire practioner trained under the tutilage of Victor at Firesticks.
On arriving at the proposed burn sight which was a steep escarpment off of Guanaba Road we were given a welcome to country and also a smoking ceremony took place to help keep ‘Ticks’ away from us whilst working, it was truely a very special moment for all involved and the picture I made speaks volumes about instigating change, it was truely inspiring.
Leeton then positioned crews at various points along the control lines and three ignition points were lit, one a diagonal, and two horizontal. All the while Leeton was explaining to me about the flame height, the soil moisture and the time of day for the burn and how all of these factors matter in keeping the fire from being too hot and allowing the animals and insects to escape.
The burn itself went off without a hitch and did exactly as Leeton had said, the type of terrain changed the conditions in which the fire was travelling and in turn changed the outcome on the landscape. It was incredible to see animals returning so quickly to a burnt area due to the fact that the burn had not been what they deem ‘Too Hot’. As I grew fatigued towards the afternoon it was time to leave, my first experience of ‘Cultural Traditional Burns’ has only ignited a passion in me to see this spread to all areas of Australia, it is not ‘Burning’ but ‘Healing’ a term I heard a great deal of during the hours I witnessed this history. It’s not only different in technique but also in attitude, respect and tradition it is everything and more that you would expect from the true custodians of our land, it is steeped in knowledge and being connected and there is no malice or ego here towards myself or any other crew, there is only understanding and the passing on of a vital resource in these amazing practices. We can only hope that more people are as forward thinking as Greg Lincoln in getting things moving towards a better way of thinking and collaboration. A time of healing for us all.
Yesterday I was fortunate to be allowed to photograph one of the first 'Cultural Burn's' being managed by Leeton Lee of Mount Tamborine RFB. Leeton has been working with Victor Steffensen of Firesticks to instigate change in local fire practices. Culturally significant burns require methodical understanding of vegetation, wildlife, weather patterns and much more. The knowledge is deep and very connected to the land, there is no separation between you and it. This is Phase One of a proposed three year plan.
Crews receive a traditional welcome to country followed by a smoking ceremony for protection against 'Ticks'.
The First Phase of this burn was to clear out the understory of invasive species such as Molasses Grass which at this stage meant a much hotter burn in some areas. Three ignition points were put in at various points along the initial line. One diagonal and two at even intervals travelling horizontally downwards. The slow moving burn allowed for animals and wildlife to escape into unburnt areas as I personally was shown by Leeton, I witnessed insects and lizards moving away from the fire one eventually ending up in a firefighters boot. Quite incredible and not achievable with a traditional burn.
Leeton walking the line checking conditions.
As the burn progressed Leeton kept checking the fire line and significant areas that would affect the outcome of the burn. He led me into the unburnt areas to check vegetation and old growth trees.
After a time areas that were burnt became cool quickly and were accessible by firefighters to extinguish fire prone trees and stop them from over 'scarring'. These areas also looked clean and I noticed wildlife returning almost immediately afterwards. Lizards were still living in hollowed out trees and insects were still present, all important factors in replenishing the land. Leeton also cleared away some soil and said touch the ground, it was still damp, he explained that burning at the right time of year and the time of day was key.
A humbling and incredible day of learning and as I made my way out of the fire line I looked back and saw the beautiful landscape with the a glimmer of light falling across it's wake. A time of healing has begun for us all.
