Central Arnhem Land Fire Abatement (CALFA) Project

Central Arnhem Land Fire Abatement (CALFA) Project is a Savanna Fire Management project located across Central Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, near Aboriginal communities such as Maningrida, Ramingining, and Bulman. It is situated approximately 400 kilometres east of Darwin. It was registered on December 23, 2014, and covers a vast area of 2,556,621.66 hectares.

Savanna fire management projects involve the strategic, planned burning of savanna areas during the early dry season. This controlled burning reduces ground fuel loads, which significantly decreases the risk and extent of highly destructive, high-intensity wildfires during the late dry season, thereby abating greenhouse gas emissions.

The Central Arnhem Land region is classified as a high rainfall zone, featuring a tropical monsoonal climate with a distinct wet summer and dry winter. The environment is characterised by rugged sandstone plateaus, broad floodplains, and generally shallow, stony, or sandy lateritic soils. The primary land use in this region is traditional Aboriginal freehold land, managed for cultural heritage, conservation, and traditional land management.

An interesting aspect of this project is that it is completely Aboriginal-owned and operated. The proponent, ALFA (NT) Limited, coordinates with local Aboriginal ranger groups, including the Bawinanga, Mimal, and Arafura Swamp (ASRAC) rangers, to conduct the aerial and ground burning programs. This provides vital employment and training opportunities for local rangers while supporting Traditional Owners in returning to and managing their country. Additionally, the project was originally known as the West Arnhem Land Fire Abatement Stage 2 (WALFA2) project before undergoing a formal name change to CALFA in September 2017.