Although combined agencies and private forestry are burning during this time in Tasmania, we have no strategies at all in place to protect people’s health from planned burn smoke inhalation.
This is despite the FPA claiming, “…it is important that smoke emissions are managed in a manner that reduces potential impacts on public health and amenity.” and, the Combined Smoke Management Strategy will be in operation in 2009/10.
This is clearly not the case when the Chief Forest Practices Officer for the FPA (Mr. Graham Wilkinson) writes to me saying the CSMS does not apply from October to December 2009.
Mind you, the Tamar valley and surrounds are full of smoke when the CSMS is supposedly working. What a failure.
Smoke inhalation is a direct consequence of these money hungry, selfish big burners. They should be made use cleaner methods and be more considerate of the environment. The health cost to all Tasmanians is huge. Wouldn’t you think with our highest rates of asthma and cancer in Australia that they would cut it out.
Clive Stott http://www.cleanairtas.com
