Page 503 - Week 02 - Thursday, 3 March 1994
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Mr Wood - the answer to the Member's question is as follows:
1. Most houses in Canberra's urban fringe back onto areas which are provided with a four to eight metre mown strip. In areas where there is a higher bushfire potential, up to. an additional twelve metres is mown making a total width of sixteen to twenty metres. The areas are mown as frequently as required to maintain general grass height less than 300 millimetres. The few exceptions to this formula are due to terrain which cannot be slashed by tractors. This policy has been endorsed by the Rural Firefighting Service.
2. The ACT Parks and Conservation Service has an annual program
of fire hazard reduction around the ACT which includes the
slashing (mowing), grazing and burning of areas to reduce.
fuel and the grading of access tracks which serve. as
f firebreaks'.
The hazard reduction, program is only one of a range of measures which, in combination, reduce the bushfire risk to urban and rural properties to an acceptable level. Other measures include the implementation of planning guidelines for the--urban edge area, and measures taken by .the Rural Fire Service to provide early detection of fires and a quick, effective attack.
3. The Business names of the contractors are:
Cumin Burgess and Partners
Lyons I E and LG Mundy
4. Clause C of the contract reads.:
"Dry Grass areas shall be maintained generally between fifty and one, hundred and fifty millimetres in height or as directed by the Supervisor. The contractor could be expected to mow dry-land grass areas up to twenty times per year.".
5: Contractors are paid monthly. To approve payments Gardening
Overseers or Supervisors are required to inspect contract
work areas. w
At the onset of the fire season Supervisors inspect all dryland areas to ensure all mowing is complete. In the case of Curtin the Supervisor checked in mid-December and instructed the contractor to perform additional mowing to increase the width of cut.
6. City Parks hires professional contractors experienced in horticultural maintenance. They are required to. set their own work programs and maintain the contract areas within specification. Programs are approved by the field Supervisors.
The contractor has mown the contract area four times over the past three months.
7. All work was carried out to this contract specification and to the City Parks mowing policy.
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