THE City of Swan and shires of Mundaring and Northam have shared in more than $1 million of funding from the state government’s mitigation activity fund (MAF).

The funding is part of a total of $5.7m in MAF grants to reduce fuel loads and bushfire risks and help 28 local governments build bushfire resilience and boost their preparedness ahead of the high-threat period.

Shire of Mundaring has been allocated $500,000 for five activities, while the City of Swan will receive $324,659 for seven activities and Shire of Northam $176,915 for 25 activities.

In total, the latest funding will deliver almost 550 mitigation activities on state-owned land managed by local governments.   

They will undertake works to minimise the risks and impact of bushfires including building firebreaks, reducing fuel loads and carrying out hazard reduction burns.

In Mundaring the $500,000 grant will be used to conduct bushfire mitigation treatments at Lake Leschenaultia, Chidlow and Stoneville.

Shire President James Martin said the funding will assist the shire in undertaking mitigation treatments such as removing dead vegetation, pruning overhanging trees, clearing fire access ways, weed control and removal of non-native species to reduce fuel loads, along with community engagement.

In the coming months the shire will carry out mitigation works by applying forestry mulching at Lake Leschenaultia (fire access track upgrades and trackside woody weed removal), and roadside woody weed removal along Old Northam Road, Liberton to Jason and Stoneville Road, Bentley to Cameron.

Landowners and occupiers can also assist with bushfire mitigation by ensuring that appropriate treatments are implemented on their own land, meeting the requirements outlined in the shire’s firebreak and fuel load notice.

Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said with 90 per cent of the state prone to bushfires, the MAF is empowering WA communities to be better prepared.

“The knowledge and understanding local governments have of their area puts them in a unique position to build resilience within their communities. With warmer weather just months away, now is the time to prepare high-risk areas in order to protect what is most important to us all – life and property.

“The MAF has already given 70 local governments financial support to undertake crucial hazard reduction burns and I encourage others to take advantage of this program.”