Physical Removal of Fuels

Physical removal of fuels refers to the removal or reduction of fuels through the use of machinery and / or physical labour. Vegetation may be hand and machine felled, and material may be chipped on site or taken away whole.

The physical removal, thinning and pruning of tree, shrub and litter fuels is undertaken to reduce high fuel loads adjacent to assets.

Physical removal treatments are generally very expensive and may be used to create a vegetation structure that is more easily maintained by other treatments (eg slashing or burning) in the future.

Fuel Management Implications:

Advantages

• Decreased fuel loads thus decreasing fire intensity and increases chances of successful suppression
• Breaks the fuel 'ladder' from ground to green canopy making crown fire less likely
• Reduces the rate of litter accumulation; and 
• Can convert the vegetation to a level where future fuel reduction activities are more easily implemented.

Disadvantages

• Labour and cost intensive.