$4.24M Grants Boost Bushfire Community Protection

• Six local government areas to benefit over the next three years
• 632 bushfire mitigation treatments to be conducted in high-risk areas
• More than $69 million in grants awarded since 2017
• Cook Government supporting emergency services to protect the community

The Cook Government has awarded six local governments grants totalling $4.24 million for bushfire mitigation programs over the next three years.

Each of the grants has been made to local governments between the Perth Hills and Great Southern to reduce the risk and intensity of destructive bushfires and keep communities safe.

The grants are awarded under the Mitigation Activity Fund (MAF) three-year grants program, which allows local governments to plan bushfire mitigation activities over a three-year period.

A total of 632 bushfire mitigation treatments will benefit from the grants for initiatives such as creating firebreaks, improving access tracks for firefighters, and planned burns aimed at reducing potential bushfire fuel loads. Initiatives will be implemented on State-owned land managed by the local government.

More than $69 million has been allocated to a total of 9,489 bushfire mitigation initiatives since the MAF was introduced in 2017.

As stated by Emergency Services Minister Paul Papalia:

"Bushfires are a part of life in Western Australia, and the State Government recognises the importance of mitigation to reduce the risk of intense, life-threatening fires taking hold.

"We see thousands of bushfires each season and with 93 per cent of the State being bushfire prone, it is vital we work with our local governments to undertake the preventative work to help protect their communities.

"Bushfire mitigation such as managing fuel loads and building firebreaks is an essential tool, which not only helps reduce the severity of bushfires but also assists firefighters to bring fires under control before lives and homes are at risk."

As stated by Collie-Preston MLA Jodie Hanns:

"This funding is a major boost for the South West, and particularly for communities around Collie-Preston that are close to vast areas of bushland.

"Having three-year certainty means our local governments can take a strategic, proactive approach to reducing bushfire risk and enhancing community safety."