Update — 19 April 2026: A Facebook post is not accountability.

Forest Fire Management Victoria ignited the first planned burn in Snowy River National Park this week. After sustained public pressure, DEECA's response was a Friday afternoon Facebook post.

We reject that as adequate public accountability for a 'multi-year burning program' across almost 60,000Ha footprint in one of Victoria's most ecologically significant national parks. No burn plans have been released. No independent ecological assessment has been published. No credible case has been made publicly that this program will protect a single community.

The open letter signed by scientists and researchers stands in full. Our position has not changed.

What we are calling for

Transparency. Publish the full burn plans - including ecological safeguards, values assessments, and species mapping - before any further ignitions proceed. The community is entitled to that information. A social media post is not a substitute.

Strong science. Commission an independent ecological review of the combined 59,000-hectare program, conducted by researchers without institutional conflict of interest. If the science supports this burn, publish it. If it doesn't, stop.

Accountability. Refer both burns for federal assessment under the EPBC Act, given the likely significant impact on more than 21 nationally listed threatened species. Government agencies cannot mark their own homework on decisions of this consequence.

GECO supports fire management that is evidence-based, transparent, and genuinely focused on community safety. We support targeted fuel reduction near homes, investment in rapid detection and firefighting capacity, and the genuine integration of Traditional Owner cultural burning knowledge. What we are witnessing here is none of those things.

This program will continue to face scrutiny until it meets the standard our forests, our threatened species, and our communities deserve.

Update - 15 April 2026, afternoon

The burn is lit.

At 12:53pm today, FFMVic confirmed the Snowy River National Park burn is now in progress. The map shows the full 34,838-hectare footprint burning inside Snowy River National Park.

Shortly afterwards, the Victorian Government announced a ministerial reshuffle - Steve Dimopoulos has moved on and the Hon. Enver Erdogan MP has been appointed the new Minister for Environment. Welcome to the portfolio, Minister. We'll be in touch - we're putting together a welcome pack for you right now.

To every supporter who called and emailed Minister Dimopoulos's office over the past days: thank you. Genuinely. You showed up fast, you made noise, and every one of those contacts is now on the public record. That matters.

Now we need one more thing. If you already sent an email to Dimopoulos's office, please forward it to Minister Erdogan at [email protected]. Let's make sure the new minister hits the ground running. The second burn - another 24,000 hectares - is still to come. The campaign is not over. 

Minister Enver Erdogan - Minister for Environment Phone: (03) 9651 8260 Email: [email protected]

A group of leading ecologists, fire scientists, and researchers has signed an open letter to Victoria's Environment Minister calling for an immediate halt to a massive planned burn in Snowy River National Park. They are urging Minister Steve Dimopoulos to act before it is too late.

They may not have long. Victoria's fire management agency has placed the burn on its ten-day ignition schedule. The clock is ticking.