Tilba District residents are invited to a planning forum
15 August 2020
(see Submission to NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry,
Mayor's response and invitation to forum below)
Thank you to local resident and photographer extraordinaire - Tom Skulander, who has captured the beauty and power of nature as we move forward from the devastation of the recent bushfire season. Tom's photos of our local landscape's recovery from bushfires are featured on ABC South East NSW f/b page
NSW Government commissioned an independent expert inquiry into causes and factors contributing the 2019/20 bushfires, the preparation and response by agencies and communities and recommendations for planning and preparing for future threat and risks of bushfires.
In May 2020 Tilba District Chamber of Commerce presented a submission to this inquiry on behalf of the Tilba District Community.
In June 2020, Mayor Innes responded to the submission, advising that priority would be given to the development of specific Community Bushfire Protection Plans for Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba.
NSW RFS will lead the process of consulting and working with Chamber and the community in preparing these plans.
A Tilba District Community 'Bushfire Protection Committee' with representation from Chamber, Central Tilba Fire Brigade-NSW RFS, primary producers, Mystery Bay community, Tilba Tilba & South Narooma Land Care Group and Tilba Tilba Water Users Association has been set in place to consider how to canvass the views of the Tilba District Community in preparation for working with NSW RFS and other relevant agencies.
Hearing from the wider community, gaining its support and drawing on relevant local expertise is seen as a crucial next step in building on our understandings of local fire risk issues and possible ways forward.
With this in mind, a first and vital activity will be a facilitated planning forum, on Saturday 15 August for the purpose of bringing Tilba District community (residents who live between the three bridges at Dignams Creek, Corunna Lake and Akolele and out to Armitage Road) together to reflect on the experience of last summer's fires.
Issues for consideration will be the community's and agencies' preparation and response to recent fires - our strengths and areas for improvement.
The forum will identify priorities to be addressed in order to prepare and respond well to future fire events.
Areas of interest will include water supply and infrastructure, fuel loads and hazard reduction, power and communication infrastructures, historic villages, farms and other properties.
Insights gained from this forum will be shared with NSW RFS and other agencies assigned to work with Tilba District in Community Bushfire Protection Plans at a meeting to be held on 26 August 2020.