Smoke deters forestry burns

May 28, 2010 08:30am

FORESTRY burn-offs were called off yesterday because smoke = levels=20 were already double national standards.

Forestry Tasmania said the scheduled burns at five Huon Valley sites = were=20 part of an annual fuel reduction program.

But low winds and existing smoke in the valley meant they had to be = postponed=20 in accordance with Tasmania's Co-ordinated Smoke Management Strategy. =

Forestry said data recorded at Geeveston suggested wood-fire smoke = content=20 was more than double the National Environmental Protection (Ambient Air = Quality)=20 Measure at 8am.

It said no forestry burns had contributed to the measure.

The burn-offs were scheduled for Glovers Bluff, Four Foot Plain, = Camels Back=20 and the Weld and Arve plains, covering a total area of about 1000ha. =

There was a Forestry Tasmania burn southwest of Launceston yesterday. =

The postponement comes after growing concern about smoke from = forestry burns,=20 many of them classified as regeneration burns, particularly because of = health=20 effects from pollution.

The concern and warnings have come from health authorities and = organisations=20 during the annual autumn burns.

Last month public health director Roscoe Taylor said dangerous = particle=20 quantities around Burnie exceeded national limits many times after a = Gunns Ltd=20 burn.

And earlier this month Forestry Tasmania apologised for smoke = pollution that=20 choked the Huon for five days in April.

The problems arose despite the introduction of the smoke management = strategy=20 which some foresters said had curtailed their normal burns program.

The area of proposed fires is mapped at www.plannedburnstas.com.au.

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