Trials have begun in NSW, Victoria and WA to develop new ways of preventing and fighting bushfires.

The Mechanical Bushfire Fuel Load Reduction trials are part of the Federal Government’s National Bushfire Mitigation Program, worth $15 million over three years from 2014.

About $1.5 million will be spent on these trials, which aim to determine if mechanical thinning of forests can reduce risk in an economical, socially acceptable and environmentally sound manner.

“At the moment we are quite reliant on prescribed burns to manage fuel loads, which need the right weather conditions, create smoke haze, and often can’t be undertaken close to conservation areas vulnerable to fire,” Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources Anne Ruston said.

“These trials will identify alternatives to current methods, to improve fuel load management in our public forests and help build a more disaster-resilient Australia.”