Fire appeared in the Australian landscape millions of years ago, at a time of climatic and geological change, which led to the spread of the eucalypts, acacias and grasses we know today. Many of our plants and animals have evolved to not only survive fire, but depend upon it for their persistence. As a result of this very long association with fire, many Australian ecosystems have developed specialised relationships with fire.
Science-based principles are used as a guide for fire management in Western Australia’s fire-prone natural ecosystems. Fire is a natural part of many Western Australian environments, from the tropical savannah woodlands of the north, through the hummock grasslands of the arid zone, to the forests, woodlands and heaths of the south-west.
The best available science and information is used by the Department of Parks and Wildlife to develop and implement the most appropriate fire management polices to protect biodiversity, the environment and communities in the state. Visit Research and technology for more information.
Some different vegetation types:
Photographic sequence of a burning paperbark tree:
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