Bushfires are a part of Australian rural life. Memories of the Ash Wednesday Bushfires in 1983 still burn brightly for many Australians including those living in and around Prospect Hill, a small town severely damaged in the fires, with two lives lost in the area along with 16 homes and many significant buildings.
This section of the website is intended as a first step in concentrating the group’s efforts in bushfire mitigation and resource management. In engaging with Emergency Services professionals and Bush Management Advisors we hope to raise awareness, promote bushfire-ready education and provide the local community with a resource focussed on the Prospect Hill and Bull Creek Range areas.
Fire Ecology
Naturally occurring fires (e.g. lightning) and indigenous burning practices have influenced the ecology of the Mount Lofty Ranges over thousands of years.
Many of our plants and animals have evolved to survive fire events, and are reliant on bushfire to regenerate and maintain their health. In particular, biodiversity is dependent on appropriate fire regimes (fire intensity, frequency, season, extent and type). Suppression of bushfire over decades and changed land use patterns has altered fire regimes causing disruption to sustainable ecosystem processes. Lack of appropriate fire regimes is therefore one of the major threats to biodiversity in the Mount Lofty Ranges.
Prepare. Act. Survive.