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Kakadu bushfire: aerial water-bombing saves Nourlangie rock art site Kakadu bushfire: aerial water-bombing saves Nourlangie rock art site
(35 minutes later)
Aerial water-bombing of a week-long out-of-control fire in Kakadu national park continued on Thursday as firefighters sought to keep it from spreading into inaccessible land and culturally significant Aboriginal sites. Aerial water-bombing finally appeared to extinguish a week-long out-of-control fire in Kakadu national park on Thursday afternoon as firefighters sought to keep it from spreading into inaccessible land and culturally significant Aboriginal sites.
The fire was sparked on Tuesday by the operators of the Ranger uranium mine, Energy Resources Australia (ERA), who were attempting to conduct a controlled burn on the mine land.The fire was sparked on Tuesday by the operators of the Ranger uranium mine, Energy Resources Australia (ERA), who were attempting to conduct a controlled burn on the mine land.
Related: Controlled burn by mine operator in Kakadu sparks out-of-control bushfireRelated: Controlled burn by mine operator in Kakadu sparks out-of-control bushfire
The burn began in normal weather conditions but an hour after it ended a sudden change in winds reignited embers and carried them across containment lines, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.The burn began in normal weather conditions but an hour after it ended a sudden change in winds reignited embers and carried them across containment lines, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
The Ranger mine is surrounded by the Kakadu national park, and its operators have been criticised for lighting a fire so late in the dry season for the second year in a row which then got out of control.The Ranger mine is surrounded by the Kakadu national park, and its operators have been criticised for lighting a fire so late in the dry season for the second year in a row which then got out of control.
A spokeswoman for Parks Australia said on Thursday that water-bombing had secured some areas, including one of the park’s most significant Indigenous rock art sites, Nourlangie. A spokeswoman for Parks Australia said on Thursday they were confident all fires had been extinguished “so long as the weather remains stable.”
“Today we are concentrating efforts in an area north of Gubara, where a fire is continuing to head up into the stone country and Radon Springs. Aerial waterbombing will continue in these areas,” she said. “We are doing a final check this afternoon and if there is any doubt we will go up again in the morning,” she said.”
“Three fire crews are operating on ground: Kakadu national park, the Jitbilu ranger group and an ERA firefighting crew. They are putting out embers and clearing waterholes.” Water-bombing had earlier secured some areas, including one of the park’s most significant Indigenous rock art sites, Nourlangie, so efforts were concentrated on regions near impenetrable stone country and Radon Springs.
Favourable conditions with wind speeds under 20km/h meant it was hoped the fire would be under control by the end of the day. Three fire crews were operating on the ground putting out embers and clearing waterholes.
On Wednesday a spokeswoman for ERA told Guardian Australia the company had committed pay for the aerial water-bombing operations.On Wednesday a spokeswoman for ERA told Guardian Australia the company had committed pay for the aerial water-bombing operations.
She said ERA followed correct protocols, notifying Parks Australia before the burn, and there was no fire ban in place.She said ERA followed correct protocols, notifying Parks Australia before the burn, and there was no fire ban in place.
However, Parks Australia said because the fire was on private mine land it had no approval role.However, Parks Australia said because the fire was on private mine land it had no approval role.
A spokesman for Gundjeihmi Corporation, which represents the Mirrar traditional owners of Kakadu, said this was the second year in a row ERA had sparked a bushfire and the land was “taking a hammering”.A spokesman for Gundjeihmi Corporation, which represents the Mirrar traditional owners of Kakadu, said this was the second year in a row ERA had sparked a bushfire and the land was “taking a hammering”.
“ERA’s failure to contain this fire demonstrates that nature does not discriminate between a uranium mining lease and a world heritage-listed national park,” the spokesman said. “This is one continuous landscape and this situation has huge implications for the future rehabilitation of the mine site.”“ERA’s failure to contain this fire demonstrates that nature does not discriminate between a uranium mining lease and a world heritage-listed national park,” the spokesman said. “This is one continuous landscape and this situation has huge implications for the future rehabilitation of the mine site.”
Justin O’Brien, chief executive of Gundjeihmi, accused ERA of negligence and called for the government to explore punitive measures against the mining company.Justin O’Brien, chief executive of Gundjeihmi, accused ERA of negligence and called for the government to explore punitive measures against the mining company.
He accused ERA of ignoring advice about starting its fire.He accused ERA of ignoring advice about starting its fire.
“In this time of year, we are waiting on the monsoon, the country is extremely dry, extremely hot, and very windy,” he told ABC Radio National.“In this time of year, we are waiting on the monsoon, the country is extremely dry, extremely hot, and very windy,” he told ABC Radio National.
“Common sense should have prevailed.”“Common sense should have prevailed.”
A spokesman for the federal environment minister, Greg Hunt, told the ABC Hunt ordered an investigation by his department and Parks Australia into the cause of the fire, and would not hesitate to pursue consequences for any breach of the environment protection and biodiversity conservation act.A spokesman for the federal environment minister, Greg Hunt, told the ABC Hunt ordered an investigation by his department and Parks Australia into the cause of the fire, and would not hesitate to pursue consequences for any breach of the environment protection and biodiversity conservation act.
Dave Sweeney, a campaigner with the Australian Conservation Foundation, said the fire was “further evidence of the systemic failure of management and systems at Energy Resources of Australia’s Ranger uranium mine”.Dave Sweeney, a campaigner with the Australian Conservation Foundation, said the fire was “further evidence of the systemic failure of management and systems at Energy Resources of Australia’s Ranger uranium mine”.
ERA must end its mining and processing at Ranger by 2021, and recently lost the support of its parent company, Rio Tinto, to push for a second uranium mine.ERA must end its mining and processing at Ranger by 2021, and recently lost the support of its parent company, Rio Tinto, to push for a second uranium mine.
“This current fire highlights again the need for ERA to accelerate the closure and full rehabilitation of Ranger,” said Sweeney.“This current fire highlights again the need for ERA to accelerate the closure and full rehabilitation of Ranger,” said Sweeney.