NEWS RELEASE Prescribed burn at Bascombe Well Conservation Park A prescribed burn is planned at Bascombe Well Conservation Park on central Eyre Peninsula for Thursday, 17 April 2014, weather conditions permitting. • • • • • • The prescribed burn will start at midday and should be complete by 8pm. It will affect about 500ha, in the northern section of the reserve, 30km west of Lock. A significant smoke column will be produced during this burn. This is normal for burns of this size. No roads will be affected by traffic restrictions. Some smoke will be visible in the area for a day or two following the burn. Fire crews will remain on site until safe to leave. The burn will be carried out by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) and Country Fire Service (CFS). There will be no public access to the Bascombe Well ruins, the Bascombe Well Track, the Terre Track and the northern boundary track during the burn. The primary objective of this burn is to reduce fuels in the area to prevent the spread of bushfire. It is part of a state-wide program of prescribed burning in highrisk public land areas this autumn. Creating strategically-located, fuel-reduced areas through prescribed burning is essential in helping to reduce the potential spread and impact of bushfires on communities and the environment by providing earlier containment options for firefighters. A list of the week’s planned burns is available on the DEWNR website, at www.environment.sa.gov.au/firemanagement/Burns_and_bushfires. Prescribed burns will only be carried out when it is deemed safe to do so and may be cancelled at short notice. 14/04/14 MEDIA CONTACT Georgia Gowing Senior Media Adviser Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources Phone (08) 8204 9105 Mobile 0467 795 640 Email georgia.gowing@sa.gov.au www.environment.sa.gov.au www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au