Dambimangari Fire Project

Dambimangari Fire Project is a savanna fire management project located in the remote North Kimberley region of Western Australia, approximately 200km northeast of Derby. It was registered in February 2014 and covers an extensive 805,799.52 ha.

Savanna fire management projects involve the strategic, planned burning of savanna areas during the early dry season. By applying traditional "cool" patch burning practices, these projects reduce vegetation fuel loads and prevent large, high-intensity wildfires from breaking out during the late dry season. This directly reduces the amount of potent greenhouse gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide, released into the atmosphere. Earning Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) requires strict adherence to controlled patch burning guidelines before the late dry season begins.

The North Kimberley region is defined by a tropical monsoon climate characterized by highly seasonal rainfall, generating distinct wet and dry seasons across both high and low rainfall savanna zones. The rugged terrain is heavily defined by Proterozoic sandstone ranges. Soils in this region predominantly consist of deep sands, skeletal soils layered over sandstone, and localized pockets of volcanic or loamy clays. General land use across the region includes Native Title lands, Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs), conservation, and pastoral cattle grazing.

Operated by the Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation on behalf of the Wanjina-Wunggurr (Native Title) Aboriginal Corporation, the project operates as a key component of the broader North Kimberley Fire Abatement Project (NKFAP), which is facilitated by the Kimberley Land Council. In addition to providing valuable carbon abatement, the initiative delivers substantial co-benefits. It generates economic opportunities and jobs for Indigenous rangers while protecting ancient Lalai (Dreamtime) rock art and culturally significant sites. In December 2015, the project expanded its project area and transitioned from the 2013 methodology to the 2015 Savanna Fire Management determination to cover both high and low rainfall zones.