The federal education minister is calling for cultural burning to be used to reduce fuel loads and limit the bushfire risk.

Cultural burning is a cool, controlled burn conducted in winter that burns slowly through undergrowth while protecting tree canopies.

Education Minister Dan Tehan tells Mark Levy the practice would be beneficial.

“Given the changing nature of the weather, if we can get in, especially during winter months… using this cultural burning practice would help reduce fuel loads.

“And that’s one of the things we’ve got to do to be able to tackle fires.

“Indigenous Australians have done it for thousands of years.”

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Image: Getty/Saeed Khan