About IBG

What does IBG want?

Smaller fires, prepared communities and safer firefighting…

  • Targeted investment and changed approaches for better outcomes, smaller fires and less impacts
  • More analysis and learning from past fires
  • Fires kept small, especially in dangerous times of drought
  • Rapid fire detection followed by fast and vigorous attack, to put fires out before they get too big
  • Better strategies for big fires
  • More prepared communities
  • Stronger measures to protect people and environments
  • More research into firefighting methods and ecological impacts of bushfire
  • United effort from communities, researchers, government agencies and other organisations

What does IBG do?

IBG advocates for better bushfire outcomes. We use multiple strategies to influence decision-makers and the public…

  • We analyse bushfire events, combining our experience and knowledge with available information and consultation with firefighters
  • We prepare and deploy reports and submissions
  • We engage across the bushfire industry – firefighters, response agencies, land managers, researchers, community groups and politicians
  • We issue media statements and engage with responsible media

IBG are…

Concerned…about increasing bushfire impacts on people and the environment

Experienced…with collective centuries of on-ground experience

Professional…diverse expert backgrounds in bushfire and land management

Independent…no allegiance to any political or other groups

Unfettered…free to speak openly, unlike most bushfire practitioners

Voluntary…all our work is community-based and pro bono

Focused on outcomes…practical, constructive proposals to improve bushfire operations

Evidence-based…applying fact, science and knowledge

What have we achieved?

  • Case studies of 11 bushfires from the 2019-2020 season (see Our Reports)
  • Major submissions to NSW, Commonwealth and Senate inquiries (see Resources and ELCA)
  • Key IBG points taken up by the NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry
  • Influenced important reforms, including public reporting on delivery of NSW Inquiry outcomes, new backburning guidelines and better lessons learned processes
  • Connections with other organisations and politicians of all colours
  • More informed public discussion and understanding of bushfire issues

“Effective review of all major fire operations as an ongoing routine is critical, especially the fires of 2019-2020. It is only through careful examination of what happened that we can do ‘more of the good’ and improve what might have been better, thereby reducing the impact and trauma of future fires, for everyone.” IBG submission to NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry

“Inquiries like this one are important, but they must not be the end of the examination of the 2019-20 bush fire season… this Inquiry will be a success if it is superseded because further research, that was not possible in the timeframe, can bring important new insights that will better inform our approaches to preparing for and responding to bush fires.” Executive Summary, Final Report of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry

Reducing the impacts and costs of bushfires…

Climate change is making bushfires more frequent and more intense across south-eastern Australia. Unless urgent action is taken to cut carbon emissions, this crisis will get worse.

We must understand how to keep fires smaller. We must learn from the 2019-2020 fire season to confront a more dangerous future.

Managing bushfires is complicated and difficult. Things will always go wrong. But they can be minimised if the best systems are in place, supported by the best information. Amongst the Black Summer successes traditional firefighting practices failed at times, with devastating consequences. What has worked in the past did not always work last time and may not work in the future.

Firefighters deserve to be supported with the best systems and strategies. Decision-makers must avoid simple ‘solutions’ that could lead to less effective fire management and greater impacts.

We need changes to fire management that will:

  • better protect communities by minimising the impact of wildfires
  • reduce costs
  • reduce the risk to firefighters
  • conserve our natural and cultural heritage