Wunambal Gaambera Uunguu Fire Project

The Wunambal Gaambera Uunguu Fire Project is a Savanna Fire Management project located in the remote North Kimberley region of Western Australia. The project area is centered approximately 50km southwest of the Kalumburu community and covers a vast expanse of around 844,000 hectares. This region falls within the Uunguu Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), where land use is dedicated to conservation and traditional Indigenous land management rather than commercial agriculture.

Registered in February 2014, the project operates under the 2015 Savanna Fire Management methodology. This methodology generates carbon credits by shifting the fire regime from destructive late dry season (LDS) wildfires to controlled early dry season (EDS) burns. By igniting cool, patchy fires early in the year (typically April to June) when vegetation is still moist, the project proponents reduce the fuel load. This prevents the intense, high-emission wildfires that typically occur late in the dry season (October to November), thereby avoiding significant emissions of methane and nitrous oxide.

The project is situated in a high rainfall zone, characterized by a tropical monsoonal climate that receives over 1000mm of rain annually, primarily during the wet season. The terrain is rugged and ancient, dominated by sandstone plateaus and escarpments with shallow, skeletal soils and sandy loams. This landscape supports rich biodiversity, including endemic species such as the Black Grasswren and the Scaly-tailed Possum, which benefit from the "Right Way Fire" management that protects their habitat from large-scale incineration.

A notable aspect of this project is its integration into the Wunambal Gaambera "Healthy Country Plan." The burning is conducted by the Uunguu Rangers, who combine traditional knowledge with modern technology like aerial incendiaries. For the Wunambal Gaambera people, "Uunguu" means "our living home," and fire is seen as essential medicine for the country; burning the "Right Way" ensures the protection of cultural sites (such as rock art) and rainforest patches (wulo) while generating revenue to support the community.