Winter bush trend attracting $9,800 fines shows no signs of slowing down
Last week, two people were allegedly caught with a trailer full of illegally felled firewood after community members reported "suspicious activity" in the Glen Park State Forest, north of Ballarat.
As part of Taskforce Ironbark, a state-wide initiative led by Victoria's Conservation Regulator in partnership with Parks Victoria and Victoria Police, officers intercepted the two accused on August 5 and seized their trailer, the firewood, two chainsaws and block splitters.
Police also impounded a vehicle after discovering the driver was allegedly operating it with a suspended licence.
"Intelligence gathering by the Conservation Regulator identified large-scale removal of timber by several people of interest, which was allegedly being sold for firewood," the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action (DEECA) agency explained in a press release.
"Many of the trees targeted were large, dead specimens that provide critical habitat for our native wildlife such as powerful owls. Reports also indicated trees were being partially cut and left standing, posing safety risks to forest users."
Powerful Owls, which are listed as threatened under the state's threatened species laws, lost a substantial amount of their habitat in the 2019/20 bushfires, according to the Victorian National Parks Association.
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Authorities warn they will 'not tolerate' illegal felling for firewood
While the most recent incident remains under investigation, Taskforce Ironbark Manager Brady Childs said the message to black market firewood operators is clear. "If you're caught illegally removing timber from public land for commercial gain, you will be held accountable," he told Yahoo News.
"This includes significant fines, facing prosecution, and the loss of vehicles and equipment. The Conservation Regulator is focused on detecting and disrupting organised crime on public land."
Although it is Illegal to cut up trees from national parks for firewood, numerous states have reported an annual spike in offences during the winter months, prompting officers to ramp up patrols. In Victoria, offenders caught in the act on public land face steep on-the-spot fines exceeding $814. More serious offences can attract penalties of up to $9,879 and 12 months' imprisonment.
It's understood the two people allegedly caught with illegally felled firewood in Ballarat have not received any penalties as of Tuesday. "Our rapid response and surveillance technology helped detect alleged offenders and ensure public safety," a spokesperson for Victoria Police said
Victorians can legally collect free firewood for personal use from designated collection areas in state forests during the autumn and spring firewood collection seasons. Rules apply around where, when, what and how much wood can be collected.
Victorians allegedly caught in the act this winter
The latest incident comes just weeks after a man hauling a trailer allegedly filled with illegal firewood became bogged in mud near Reedy Lake in Victoria's Nagambie Wildlife Reserve.
Inside the tandem trailer, officers claim they discovered a load of recently cut Red River Gum timber, and another "freshly felled" tree nearby. Despite being issued a series of infringement notices, the same man was allegedly seen returning to the area the same night, prompting officers to seize his trailer, the timber and a chainsaw.
Earlier this year, two more Victorians were allegedly caught by police "loading freshly cut and split timber" into a tandem trailer in a pre-dawn sting at the Wandong Regional Park.
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