Lily D’Ambrosio MP is allowing her department to conduct dangerous post logging burns despite the current COVID-19 respiratory pandemic.
Today, mere kilometres from the township of Warburton, a large logging coupe was set alight using dangerous chemicals, blanketing the local town in toxic smoke. The hazardous smoke can exacerbate lung conditions like #Covid_19 and increases susceptibility to infection.
The 57 hectare coupe that was burnt near Warburton today contained an estimated 8000 tonnes of fuel that has now been released into the atmosphere. This is just one of the many burns being conducted by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning under the misleading guise of ‘planned’ burns. They’ve lied to the public saying that today’s burn would only be one area, but instead they’re conducting mega burns across multiple coupes with no consideration to community health.
Both the Yarra Ranges Council and local healthcare professionals have pushed for better monitoring of air quality, as doctors say smoke pollution during the Covid 19 pandemic is a dangerous health risk for their patients.
The Labor State Government is continuing with business as usual when it comes to hazardous smoke pollution from post logging burns, while enforcing strict measures for Victorian’s to stay home during this crisis to protect our health system. Local community members shouldn’t have to face months of smoke haze, and a shortage of medication, including asthma puffers, in addition to the current risks of the pandemic. Post logging burns are not essential, and community health must be prioritised by the government over the corporate interests of the logging industry.
Please email the Environment Minister and Brett Sutton Victoria’s Chief Health Officer calling for them to #StopTheBurns
drbsutton@gmail.com
lily.dambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au