Rethinking Planned Burns

Join fire behaviour scientist, Adjunct Associate Professor Phil Zylstra for a deep dive into what really happens when forests are burned.

During 2025-2028, Victorian government agencies* plan to burn 428,575 HA, in 260 planned burns across Gippsland.

Do these burns make locals safer?  

• Dr Philip Zylstra presents recent fire research on effectiveness of planned burns in reducing bushfire risk.

• Forest Country, a short documentary by Lewi Haskins reveals how native forest logging continues in Victoria, under the guise of planned burn operations.

• The Gippsland Environment Group survey team presents evidence of the impacts of government burns on local forests. 

• Gunnai Elder Marjorie Thorpe will join Dr Zylstra, GEG surveyors, and the Goongerah Environment Centre on a Q&A panel.

• The Goongerah Environment Centre will present the Victorians for Nature campaign – and share how you can stay involved in the push for better fire management in East Gippsland.

Tea and coffee provided.

Purchase raffle tickets for sponsor Patagonia prizes on the day.

Free event - All Welcome. Please RSVP so we know numbers. 

Dr Philip Zylstra: fire behaviour scientist and Adjunct Associate Professor, Curtin University.
In former work as a remote area fire fighter, Dr Zylstra observed that planned burns were causing immediate environmental harm - and then increasing fire risk to communities in subsequent years. As many others noted, the bush responded to these burns with a dense flush of understorey growth. Dr Zylstra has undertaken Australia’s first detailed, systematic, and only peer-reviewed model showing how forest structure and composition drives fire behaviour in Australian forests.

Event hosts Goongerah Environment Centre, Gippsland Environment Group and Environment East Gippsland respectfully acknowledge the Gunaikurnai People as the Traditional Owners of the lands on which this event takes place. 

*DEECA/Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMV)