19 March, 2010 9:19AM AWST

Is there too much burning in the Kimberley?

Each year vast areas of the Kimberley are burnt by bushfires or in prescribed burns. But how much is too much?

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The Kimberley is twice the size of Victoria at 43 million hectares, and it is just as fire prone. While the environment needs fire to regeneate seeds or clear undergrowth, there have been changes to the types and timing of fire ever since humans have lived here; the debate is whether that is a good thing or not.

Hot fires that burn uncontrollably across the landscape cause widespread damage, not just to the plants and animals in its fearsome path. When it's too hot, seeds disintegrate, animals can't escape to an unburned refuge, infrastructure burns and even sacred sites such as rock art suffer under extreme fire conditions year after year.

Landholders, including pastoralists and Department of Environment, now conduct controlled burns early in the year. It's called "cool burning" straight after the Wet and before the Dry season reduces moisture and increase fuel loads. They use a "mosiac" pattern to burn pockets of areas.

Tourism operators and business people in Kununurra are worried there's still too much fire in the Kimberley and that it could drive holidaymakers away.

Nadeen Lovell is a gallery owner in Kununurra. She's part of a group that has met with the local shire about their concerns.

"People coming into my gallery are saying 'why is there so much burnt?'. I mean that question gets asked over and over by visitors who eventually won't come back if the place is in ruins."

"And for scenic flights... the smoke pall is so heavy in the months it used to be clear and they're paying good money for a not so good quality experience. They talk, they tell each other. and maybe another area will get more visiotrs and we'll get less. So that's a big concern for us."

The group has pointed the finger at government authorities doing too much burning.

Ed Hatherley is the regional fire manager for the Department of Environment and Conservation. He understands the concerns of tourism operators but the criticism isn't justified. DEC manages around nine per cent of the Kimberley land (in reserves and crown land) and less than 10 per cent of that would be burnt annually.

"We have a responsbility ... one of the tools that the agency uses to limit the imoact and size of those devestating fires late in the season to use early dry season prescribed burns.... most of that is designed to limit the size and impact of those big late fires."

"We don't burn after May or June. But a lot of the smoke .... lingers into the season."

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority says that of the region's million hectares, between 10 and 13 million are burned through lightning strikes, arson or carelessness. Two - three million were burnt through prescribed burns.