Species at risk from prescribed burns »

Researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) have found current approaches to controlled hazard-reduction burns could have adverse effects on the genetic diversity of animal and plant populations. Dr Annabel Smith, who led the research at the ANU Fenner School of Environment and Society, said fire can fragment habitat in a similar way to vegetation clearing, limiting species' access to potential breeding partners. "Ecological burning is usually considered to benefit biodiversity in Australia, given its long history of fire as a natural process," Dr Smith said. "Careful consideration must be given to the size and shape of broad scale prescription burns to ensure that species can disperse through their habitat. "When burning within a single patch of habitat it is important that different stages of vegetation are connected so animals can move through the landscape." Since the Victorian bush fires in 2009, prescribed burning policies have changed and some states have introducing annual controlled burning targets. The ANU research looked at the movement and spread of animals after fire, and is the first study to directly examine how fire affects the movement and spread of animals who live in a continuous habitat. Dr Smith said if large areas of vegetation were burned at once, it could harm some species by restricting their movement and reducing their chances of breeding with other populations.