Fire Management - Red Gum Forests

The following is an Abstract from a paper submitted by Barrie Dexter to the Natural Resources Commission, NSW on 3 August 2012. The link below leads you to that submission and an additional submission of 15 November 2012.

Fire history and fire management to conserve social, economic and environmental values in floodplain river red gum forests.
  • Flooding & fire are the major factors in the dynamics of the Riverina/Central Murray floodplain river red gum forests.
  • Frequency, season & duration of flooding control the timing & extent of prescribed fire & the influence of lightning-sourced fire. Prolonged drought produces an 8-10 month serious fire risk.
  • Wildfire is not such a dominant feature of the forests, compared with the foothill & mountain forests, but they are highly sensitive to fire.
  • Fire danger is high to extreme on many days each year exacerbated by drought conditions & lack of active forest management in some forests.
  • "Broad-acre" fuel reduction burning is not an accepted practice & has the potential to significantly harm many values & uses. As yet, there are no prescriptions for prescribed burning many of the ecological vegetation classes [EVCs] in the floodplain forests. Grassy & herbaceous fuels make a significant contribution to the fine fuel load. A detailed description is provided on the role of these fuels in fire management.
  • Controlled grazing of domestic stock is useful for seasonally reducing the grassy and palatable weed component of fine fuels to more manageable levels from a forest fire management perspective and meet minimum parameters for the conservation of grasses without compromising other biological values.
  • It is concluded that there is no point in introducing inappropriate prescribed burning & failing to quickly & aggressively suppress wildfire, both of which reduce to ash & charcoal essential ecological values requiring conservation.
  • River red gum forest destroyed by wildfire must be regenerated & actively managed under the principles of ecologically sustainable development.

Fire Articles

Fire Topics

There are a number of Fire Research Reports available in the Site Library.

Barrie Dexter

Barrie graduated from the VSF in 1954, and then attended The University of Melbourne to obtain his BSc Forestry in 1960 and a MSc Forestry in 1970. He became a Fellow of the Institute of Foresters in 2015.

From 1955 to 1966 he had postings with the FCV in the Research Branch and forest districts, and then he was involved with silvicultural research and development in both native and exotic forests, and factors affecting bushfire behaviour for application in wildfire control and the planned use of fire until 1975.

Barrie and Lois married in Ballarat in 1963.

In 1975 he was appointed Chief Park Management Officer of the National Parks Service,Victoria before returning to the FCV in 1976 as Chief Forest Research Officer. In 1980 when he was appointed as the Chief Silvicultural Officer, FCV and then CFL, and in1985 he became Assistant Director, Lands and Forests Division, CFL. 

Barrie retired from the Victorian Public Service in July 1989.

From October 1983 to  March 1991 Barrie was directly involved in the development and operation of the Dharnya Centre in the Barmah Forest, and Chairman of the Ministerial Advisory Committee for the Centre from 1984 to 1991.

From 1989 to 1991 he represented the Victorian Department of Conservation and Environment on a Steering Committee oversighting a consultancy let by the Murray Darling Basin Commission for the development of a Water Management Plan for the Barmah-Millewa (River Red Gum) Forests.

He participated in the revision of TAFE curriculum for the Associate Diploma of Applied Science - Natural Resources, and was an Occasional Lecturer at both Monash University and the University of Melbourne.

From 1991 to 1992 he was the Executive Director, Trees for Profit Research Centre, set up under the auspices of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, the University of Melbourne.

Between 1992 and 2001 Barrie was one of two representatives of Timber Communities Australia on a Community Reference Group set up by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission to further develop and advise on the implementation of a water management plan for the Barmah-Millewa Forests. He was also a Member of the Forum set up by the Murray Darling Basin Ministerial Council to advise on water management of the Barmah-Millewa Forests.

Other involvements included being a Member of the Board of Management of the Natural Resources Conservation League of Victoria (2002-2006), a Member of Forest Fire Victoria Inc. (2002–2008) and a Member of the Parks Victoria Scientific Advisory Committee. (2009-2012)

Barrie Dexter

Barrie graduated from the VSF in 1954, and then attended The University of Melbourne to obtain his BSc Forestry in 1960 and a MSc Forestry in 1970. He became a Fellow of the Institute of Foresters in 2015.

From 1955 to 1966 he had postings with the FCV in the Research Branch and forest districts, and then he was involved with silvicultural research and development in both native and exotic forests, and factors affecting bushfire behaviour for application in wildfire control and the planned use of fire until 1975.

Barrie and Lois married in Ballarat in 1963.

In 1975 he was appointed Chief Park Management Officer of the National Parks Service,Victoria before returning to the FCV in 1976 as Chief Forest Research Officer. In 1980 when he was appointed as the Chief Silvicultural Officer, FCV and then CFL, and in1985 he became Assistant Director, Lands and Forests Division, CFL. 

Barrie retired from the Victorian Public Service in July 1989.

From October 1983 to  March 1991 Barrie was directly involved in the development and operation of the Dharnya Centre in the Barmah Forest, and Chairman of the Ministerial Advisory Committee for the Centre from 1984 to 1991.

From 1989 to 1991 he represented the Victorian Department of Conservation and Environment on a Steering Committee oversighting a consultancy let by the Murray Darling Basin Commission for the development of a Water Management Plan for the Barmah-Millewa (River Red Gum) Forests.

He participated in the revision of TAFE curriculum for the Associate Diploma of Applied Science - Natural Resources, and was an Occasional Lecturer at both Monash University and the University of Melbourne.

From 1991 to 1992 he was the Executive Director, Trees for Profit Research Centre, set up under the auspices of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, the University of Melbourne.

Between 1992 and 2001 Barrie was one of two representatives of Timber Communities Australia on a Community Reference Group set up by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission to further develop and advise on the implementation of a water management plan for the Barmah-Millewa Forests. He was also a Member of the Forum set up by the Murray Darling Basin Ministerial Council to advise on water management of the Barmah-Millewa Forests.

Other involvements included being a Member of the Board of Management of the Natural Resources Conservation League of Victoria (2002-2006), a Member of Forest Fire Victoria Inc. (2002–2008) and a Member of the Parks Victoria Scientific Advisory Committee. (2009-2012)