Ngallagunda Fire Project

The Ngallagunda Fire Project is a Savanna Fire Management project located in the remote Central Kimberley region of Western Australia. The project area centers on the Ngallagunda community at Gibb River Station, situated approximately 300km east of Derby and roughly 300km southwest of Kununurra along the Gibb River Road. Registered in May 2020, the project covers a substantial area of approximately 376,779 hectares.

The region is characterized by a tropical savanna climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. While many Kimberley fire projects operate in the "high rainfall zone" (above 1000mm), this specific project is classified within the "low rainfall zone" (typically receiving 600mm–1000mm annually). The landscape consists of rugged sandstone ranges, savanna woodlands, and sandy loam soils, often intersected by river systems that support clay-heavy floodplains. Land use in this area is a combination of traditional Indigenous land management and pastoral activities, as Gibb River Station remains a working cattle station.

The project operates under the Savanna Fire Management, Emissions Avoidance methodology (2018). This involves conducting strategic "cool burns" (controlled hazard reduction burning) during the early dry season when vegetation is still moist. These planned burns reduce the fuel load, creating firebreaks that prevent high-intensity, uncontrolled wildfires from erupting in the late dry season. By shifting the fire regime from hot, late-season fires to cooler, early-season burns, the project generates Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by avoiding the release of methane and nitrous oxide.

An interesting aspect of this project is its integration into the broader Wanjina-Wunggurr native title determination area. The project is supported by the Kimberley Land Council (KLC) and aligns with the healthy country plans of the Traditional Owners. Revenue generated from the sale of carbon credits is typically reinvested into local Ranger programs, funding equipment, training, and aerial burning operations that maintain the cultural and ecological health of the landscape.