Development of the Norfolk Island Fire Management Plan (NIFMP) project is progressing, with a consultant now appointed and preparing to engage with local stakeholders on the plan.
Eco Logical Australia was carefully selected for their expertise in fire planning strategies and bushfire planning and management, ensuring the best outcome for the Norfolk Island community.
This project will provide support to the community, Norfolk Island Fire Service and Parks Australia in the management of fire risk and response. It will also assist Emergency Management Norfolk Island to help prepare the community for increasing fire emergency risk.
Eco Logical will undertake an island-wide fire risk assessment and develop a NIFMP, providing expert advice and an overarching framework to minimise the rate and intensity, reduce community vulnerability and improve preparedness and containment of fires.
The $80,000 funding to develop an NIFMP was part of an almost $1.8 million package of projects announced by the Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories, the Hon Nola Marino MP, in December 2019 to build resilience to extreme weather on Norfolk Island.
The community and stakeholders on-island will be engaged throughout the project, ensuring that local expertise and knowledge informs both the fire risk assessment and the development of the NIFMP.
The Australian Government is committed to supporting effective fire risk management on Norfolk Island. The NIFMP will provide the overarching framework for managing all fire risks on Norfolk Island and I encourage all interested community members to participate in the upcoming consultation sessions.
Eric Hutchinson
Administrator of Norfolk Island
7 January 2021