TASVEG 4.0 Fire Attributes is a derivative of the TASVEG 4.0 vegetation mapping layer and includes several attribute fields of relevance for bushfire management purposes. TASVEG 4.0 Fire Attributes builds on the work undertaken by Pyrke and Marsden-Smedley (2005) whereby three fire 'themes' (or attributes) were assigned to TASVEG vegetation communities. These themes aim to reduce the complexity in TASVEG classification and assist with decision making by fire managers during suppression operations and fire management planning. TASVEG mapping is indicative only. Whilst extensive checks are applied to release versions of TASVEG, confirming the presence or otherwise of TASVEG communities requires field validation by a qualified practitioner.

TASVEG is the Tasmania-wide vegetation map produced by the Tasmanian Vegetation Monitoring and Mapping Program (TVMMP). TASVEG version 4.0 was released in August 2020 and comprises 157 mapping units captured at a nominal scale of 1:25,000. Descriptions for each TASVEG vegetation community are described in the accompanying manual From Forest to Fjaeldmark ed. 2 (Kitchener and Harris, 2013). Details of TASVEG 4.0 attributes are available in the TASVEG 4.0 metadata statement. In 2005 Pyrke and Marsden-Smedley developed a schema to classify all existing TASVEG vegetation communities into three broad fire themes. These themes were designed to reduce the complexity in TASVEG mapping and allow grouping of TASVEG communities into categories of interest for fire suppression operations and fire management planning. The themes defined by Pyrke and Marsden-Smedley (2005) were: - Fire attributes category - Fire sensitivity - Flammability These themes (or attributes), and several others defined since the original work by Pyrke and Marsden Smedley (2005), and included with this dataset, are described in more detail below. Review and amendment of TASVEG Fire Attributes classes now rests with the Ecological Fire Data Technical Committee which is comprised of representatives from NRE Environment Business UNit, Tasmanian Fire Service, Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service and Sustainable Timber Tasmania.

Attribute Definitions Fire Attribute - FIREATT (Fire attributes category) This attribute provides an alternate method for categorising TASVEG vegetation communities in a manner that groups communities with broad similarities in terms of ecological fire sensitivity and flammability. The names (and codes) used within the fire attributes category are also designed to be widely used and recognised by land and fire managers to describe Tasmanian vegetation. A list of the valid Fire Attribute codes and names is given below. Code - Fire-attributes category: Ac - Alpine and subalpine heathland with conifers and/or deciduous beech Ag - Alpine and subalpine sedgy and grassy As - Alpine and subalpine heathland without conifers or deciduous beech Bs - Buttongrass moorland Dd - Dry sclerophyll woodland Df - Dry sclerophyll forest Dp - Damp sclerophyll forest Ds - Dry scrub and coastal scrub Gr - Native grassland Hh - Heathland Mf - Mixed forest Pt - Agricultural land and miscellaneous types Rc - Rainforest with conifers and/or deciduous beech Rf - Rainforest without conifers or deciduous beech Sp - Sphagnum Sr - Plantation Ub - Urban and built-up areas Wd - Wet sclerophyll woodland We - Flammable weeds and bracken Wf - Wet sclerophyll forest Wl - Swamp and wetland Ws - Wet scrub Wt - Water Zz - Non-vegetated Fire Sensitivity - FIRESENS This attribute defines classes that describe the potential ecological impact of a single fire on a stand of vegetation. The recovery time from fire is the key ecological factor determining the Fire Sensitivity class of a TASVEG community. Fire Sensitivity classes are estimates based on general knowledge of the vital attributes of common plant species within each TASVEG community. A list of valid Fire Sensitivity classes is given below. Code (Name) - Description: E (Extreme) - Any fire will cause either irreversible or very long-term (>500 years) damage. VH (Very High) - A single fire will cause significant change to community structure for 50-100 years and will increase the probability of subsequent fires changing the community more permanently. H (High) - A fire-adapted community requiring at least 30 years between fires to maintain the defining species. Fire intervals greater than 80 years are required to reach mature stand structure. M (Moderate) - A fire adapted community requiring at least 15 years between fires to maintain defining species. L (Low) - Highly fire-adapted or non-native vegetation. A single fire will generally not affect the biodiversity, although repeated short intervals (i.e. <10 years) may cause long term change. Flammability - FLAMMAB This attribute relates to the ability of the vegetation to burn throughout the year; that is, on how many days per year a vegetation type will burn. Flammability classes assigned to each TASVEG community were originally derived by Pyrke and Marsden-Smedley (2005) based mostly on general knowledge of fuel dryness for that vegetation type, and also, published research. Flammability classes have been revised as necessary by the Ecological Fire Data Technical Committee with the original Moderate class now split into Moderate-Low and Moderate-High for this version of TASVEG Fire Attributes. A list of valid Flammability classes is given below. Code (Name) - Criteria: VH (Very High) - Will burn readily throughout the year even under mild weather conditions, except after recent rain (i.e. less than 2-7 days ago). H (High) - Will burn readily when fuels are dry enough but will be too moist to burn for lengthy periods, particularly in winter. Fuels will be dry enough to burn on most days from late spring to early autumn. MH (Moderate-High) - Extended periods without rain (i.e. two weeks at least) and/or moderate or stronger winds are required for these communities to burn. Vegetation structure/composition means flammability is higher compared to Moderate-Low class. ML (Moderate-Low) - Extended periods without rain (i.e. two weeks at least) and/or moderate or stronger winds are required for these communities to burn. Vegetation structure/composition means flammability is lower compared to Moderate-High class. L (Low) - These communities will burn only after extended drought (i.e. four weeks without rain) and/or under severe fire weather conditions (i.e. forest fire danger rating >40). FRB Treatment - FRB_TREAT (Fuel Reduction Burn Treatability) The FRB Treatment attribute refers to whether planned burning is practically feasible within a particular TASVEG community, which in turn depends on meeting the following conditions: 1. In general, a single planned burn in this vegetation type is unlikely to cause undesirable ecological impact if the burn occurs as part of an appropriate fire regime. 2. The fuel characteristics and moisture dynamics of the community typically allow planned burning to be implemented safely within suitable weather conditions. These conditions apply as a general guide only, to support the initial desktop-assessment stages of prescribed burn planning. Further information is required to determine whether a burn could be conducted in a particular location at a particular time. The treatability status of TASVEG communities was originally derived from the work conducted by Pyrke and Marsden-Smedley (2005) and Marsden-Smedley and Whight (2011). The treatability of Fire Attribute Categories was subsequently interpolated to TASVEG communities for strategic (e.g. State Fire Management Council, 2014) and operational purposes. Valid values for FRB TREAT are described below. Code (Name) - Definition: Y (Yes) - In general, a single planned burn in this vegetation type is unlikely to cause undesirable ecological impacts if the burn occurs as part of an appropriate fire regime and/or the fuel characteristics and moisture dynamics of the community typically allow planned burning to be implemented safely within suitable weather conditions. N (No) - In general, a single planned burn in this vegetation type may cause undesirable ecological impacts and/or the fuel characteristics and moisture dynamics of this community do not typically allow planned burning to be implemented safely within suitable weather conditions. References Kitchener, A. & Harris, S. (2013). From Forest to Fjaeldmark: Descriptions of Tasmania's Vegetation. Edition 2. Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania. Marsden-Smedley, J.B. and Whight, S. (2011) Planned burning in Tasmania. II. Fire risk assessment and the development of a standardised Burn Risk Assessment Tool (BRAT). Tasforests 19: 109-121. Pyrke, A.F. and Marsden-Smedley, J.B. (2005) Fire-attributes categories, fire sensitivity, and flammability of Tasmanian vegetation communities. Tasforests 16: 35-46. State Fire Management Council 2014. Bushfire in Tasmania: A new approach to reducing our statewide relative risk. State Fire Management Council Unit, Tasmania Fire Service, Hobart, Tasmania.