THE Victorian Government plans to burn 225,000ha of forest this season in its bid to hit an annual rolling target of 390,000ha by 2014.
It is a huge task, given the Department of Sustainability and Environment fell just short of its 2010-11 target of 200,000ha, burning out 188,000ha last season.
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But Minister for Bushfire Response Peter Ryan is confident DSE can deliver on the Government's commitment, which was one of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission's key recommendations.
"The Victorian Coalition Government is committed to implementing a long-term program of prescribed burning based on an annual rolling target of 5 per cent of public land as recommended by the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission," Mr Ryan said.
"In 2010-11 more than 188,000ha of planned burning was completed.
"This represents 94 per cent of the planned program for that year and is the largest program completed in more than 20 years.
"Any annual shortfall will be made up in subsequent years."
The Government has also promised to divert any remnant funding from shortfalls in the burn target into subsequent years. Yet it remains unclear whether last season's shortfall will be rolled into the 2011-12 target.
DSE is in the process of finalising its future Fire Operations Plans, but at this stage has set this season's target at 225,000ha, another 290,000ha in 2012-13 and 390,000ha in 2013-14.
The Royal Commission also recommended DSE report annually on prescribed burning outcomes "in a manner that meets public accountability objectives, including publishing details of targets, area burnt, funds expended on the program, and impacts on biodiversity".
DSE is yet to publish information on funds expended on last season's fuel-reduction burns.
The Forest Fire Victoria lobby group has called on the government and DSE to deliver on its promise for greater transparency on reaching burn targets.
"Part of our concern is that the (DSE) website doesn't allow the great unwashed like me to take a close look at how they're performing," FFV president Athol Hodgson said.
