Ngallagunda Fire Project

Ngallagunda Fire Project is a Savanna Fire Management (Emissions Avoidance) project located in the remote Central Kimberley region of Western Australia. The project is centered on the Ngallagunda community at Gibb River Station, situated approximately 300km east of Derby and 300km southwest of Kununurra. It was registered in May 2020 and covers a substantial 376,779.58 hectares. The Gibb River Station area operates as a working cattle station and is subject to traditional Indigenous land management.

Savanna fire management projects involve conducting strategic "cool burns," which are planned hazard reduction fires lit during the early dry season when the vegetation is still moist. This practice creates firebreaks and safely reduces fuel loads, preventing high-intensity, uncontrolled wildfires from erupting in the late dry season. Standard requirements for the 2018 methodology dictate that these planned burning activities take place within designated high or low rainfall zones to effectively avoid the release of greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide.

The Central Kimberley region features a tropical savanna climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. This project specifically operates in the savanna low rainfall zone, typically receiving 600mm to 1000mm of rain annually. The local environment consists of rugged sandstone ranges, savanna woodlands, and sandy loam soils, frequently intersected by river systems that support clay-heavy floodplains.

The project holds significant cultural and economic value by integrating traditional "right-way" fire practices with modern carbon markets. The generation of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) provides vital revenue to support local Ranger programs, allowing Traditional Owners to stay connected to and manage their Country. In July 2022, the project's proponent was officially varied from the Ngallagunda Aboriginal Corporation to the Wanjina-Wunggurr (Native Title) Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, the registered native title body corporate. The project continues to operate with active support from the Kimberley Land Council.