These studies were prepared as part of IBG’s major report Reducing the Costs and Impacts of Bushfires, which was submitted to the 2020 NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry. The studies were included in the IBG report and informed the IBG positions and recommendations. The studies analyse a range of bushfires and suppression operations from Black Summer 2019-2020, focusing on fires for which the most information was available.
These studies were prepared under several limitations, including not having access to the full range of data for analysis. Available data sources were used including satellite imagery, weather records and informants from the fireground. Some important inputs were not available, such as infrared fire linescans, incident mapping and Incident Action Plans. Other information not available for these studies include the amount and location of firefighting resources applied to various strategies and the pattern of aerial attack. Consequently, there may be errors in some details of these studies. The basic events are considered to be correct but could be refined with access to all relevant information.
The fires are presented in terms of factual events with some interpretation. The reasons for various decisions made on the fires, and the influences on those decisions, are mostly unknown. Speculation on these is avoided.
These studies demonstrate the potential for comprehensive post-fire analysis. Such work can identify successful and unsuccessful strategies, and the factors that made the difference. Conclusions can then inform future operations and improved suppression practices. They can also provide training opportunities for bushfire managers. IBG would like to see every significant fire analysed in this way as a matter of routine. By spending a tiny fraction of suppression costs on post-fire analysis, the impacts, trauma and costs of future fires could be reduced.
To IBG knowledge, and disappointment, these remain the only detailed published studies conducted on any bushfires from the NSW Black Summer. We hope this statement can be removed at some point.
Fire studies: Introduction & Summary
Fire study 1: Green Wattle Creek-Kowmung Complex
Fire study 2: Green Wattle Creek fire, Seabrook Road backburn
Fire study 3: Gospers Mountain fire, south-west section
Fire study 4: Gospers Mountain fire, Glow Worm Tunnel Road backburn
Fire study 5: Gospers Mountain Fire, Mount Wilson Road backburn (Grose fire)
Fire study 6: Mt Wilson escaped backburn fire (Grose fire), southern and eastern containment
Fire study 7: Currowan-Tianjara Complex
Fire study 8: Currowan-Tianjara Complex, Conjola Park and Milton backburn containment strategy
Fire study 9: Currowan-Tianjara Complex, Clyde Mountain backburn containment strategy
Fire study 10: Half Penny Hill fire: Kosciuszko National Park
Fire study 11: Bees Nest fire, Northern Tablelands
Independent Bushfire Group 