I have previously posted about one of Australia's rarest Native animals, The Numbat

I wrote to the Department on May 9 to express my displeasure at their actions,

I am writing to express my displeasure at your Department's "Controlled burn" at Perup.
I am livid that you would take such action at one of only two sites for the critically endangered Numbat.
To fire bomb for two hours is shameful.
What chance did the Numbats have to safely leave the area?
Controlled burning is supposed to be exactly that, not dropping incendiary bombs willy nilly creating an inescapable inferno.
Quote, "there were areas where the intensity of the fire was higher than planned".
""The impact on the local Numbat population is still being determined,"
A petition will be started for a proper inquiry into this matter.
The public has had enough of Government Departments wanton destruction of our natural heritage.
The time has come to hold those responsible to account.

Today I received a response.

Thank you for your email regarding your concerns about the prescribed burn conducted in the Perup region in late March.


Prescribed burning is used by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) as one of the primary forms of bushfire mitigation to reduce the impacts on our communities and environment from damaging bushfires.
The recent Wooroloo bushfire that occurred in the Perth Hills earlier this year, through long unburnt fuels, highlights the importance of undertaking bushfire mitigation.
Prescribed burning is also used by DBCA as a method of promoting biodiversity, protecting water catchment areas, as a way to preserve cultural or indigenous heritage, or as a tool within silvicultural operations.

The DON_100 Weinup prescribed burn that has received coverage in the media was planned to protect neighbouring properties and local biodiversity from the effects of bushfires by reducing the fuel loads within the area.
The Weinup burn was split into several smaller cells and burnt over an 18-month period that began in Spring 2019. The decision to undertake the burn at differing times was implemented to create a mosaic of different burn intensities and different vegetation ‘ages’ across the burn.
This was done to promote biodiversity through having a range of fauna habitats with differing levels of established vegetation.

Like all of the burns undertaken by DBCA, the Weinup burn was subject to a thorough planning, consultation and approval process that met the international standards for risk management ISO31000.
The planning process involved DBCA fire, conservation, and research staff, as well as liaison with external stakeholders such as adjoining neighbours. The management of numbats and other wildlife was a significant factor when planning the burn, which resulted in a range of specific actions being put in place to minimise any impacts on the numbats or their places of refuge.
These actions were implemented before, during and after the burn, and included DBCA staff meeting with local neighbours to map out known numbat dens.
These dens were raked around and wet down prior to the burn removing the accumulated fuels that a fire could consume.

The final cell of the Weinup burn was commenced on 25 March 2021 with some areas experiencing a higher intensity than was planned.
DBCA has undertaken an operational review of this burn and has determined that a number of factors, including underlying soil dryness may have contributed to this outcome. DBCA will incorporate the lessons learnt from the review into future prescribed burning operations.

A number of post burn actions, such as feral animal baiting and fauna monitoring, have been implemented by DBCA, to support the protection and recovery of the local numbat population, which have been observed by DBCA staff in the area during and after the burn.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Reynen

Fire Management Services Branch

Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions

Next action will be to await the Numbat count to see how many survived.