Registrations for the 2026 IDA Conference are now open.

Register

Ngaanyatjarra Rangers Holistic Approach to Fire Management

3 minute read

With cool weather across the desert, Ngaanyatjarra Rangers from Warburton and Warakurna have been out burning Country.

Guided by their elders, the rangers take a holistic approach to fire management, combining cultural site visits with ground and aerial burning. That’s what good desert fire management is all about: planning and conducting burns with the right people at the right time.

Ngaanyatjarra Traditional Owners and Rangers gathered at camp to review fire scar and cultural maps to determine which parts of country needed fire and plan culturally safe burning activities.

Ngaanyatjarra Rangers were joined by the Warnpurru rangers for fire camps at Milpultjarra and Lake Christopher; they used helicopters to inspect cultural sites, create cultural maps and enable senior elders to supervise and provide cultural clearance for aerial and ground burning operations.

“It was good to work together, all the rangers coming together to do the work”

Mr Ronald Hunt, Warburton Ranger

Over five days, Traditional Owners and rangers, worked together to conduct burning activities to protect the cultural values and ecological values of the Ngaanyatjarra Indigenous Protected Area (IPA). The IPA is home to several threatened species including Bilby, Great Desert Skink and Black-footed Rock-wallaby.

Gentle winds and cool late afternoon temperatures ensured the burns were cool and could trickle out overnight.

The ground burning focused on protecting important cultural sites, while the helicopter flights were used to inspect and safely burn at a landscape-scale. Senior elders directed the aerial burning providing the rangers with an opportunity to see the aerial incendiary machine in action in anticipation of future training in its use.

Senior Ngaanyatjarra Ranger Mr Ernest Bennet and Warnpurru ranger Brett Jennings prior to a flight
Warnpurru Ranger Paul Carnegie practicing on an incendiary machine. Rangers had the opportunity to train on an aerial incendiary machine flying Toyota Air.

“I think it was really good. It was a good thing to burn the spinifex with the helicopter and to do that work with everyone”

Mr Ronald Hunt, Warburton Ranger
Clockwise from left: Ngaanyatjarra Lands from the helicopter, Warburton Women rangers returning from a cultural site clearance flight, and the Warburton and Warnpurru rangers preparing for a ground burn near Milpultjarra

The work was undertaken with support from the IDA’s Right Way Desert Fire Project, and the Ngaanyatjarra Rangers are now planning more fire work for next season to manage high fuel load around important cultural sites and threatened species habitat.

Ngaanyatjarra Council Aboriginal Corporation

The Ngaanyatjarra Council (Aboriginal Corporation) represents the interests of around 2000 Ngaanyatjarra, Pintupi and Pitjantjatjara Traditional Owners (Yarnangu) who reside in the eleven member communities of the Ngaanyatjarra Council.

Website
Ngaanyatjarra Council Aboriginal Corporation Ranger Teams
Back to top
Share
View all stories

Warning: Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away which may cause sadness or distress.