In January 2023 the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC) released a tranche of reports related to the Black Summer fires (2019-2020). One of these was: Investigating the suitability of aviation tracking data for use in bushfire suppression effectiveness research.
Tag Archives: Bushfire
Emergency leaders report on grass fire threat
A report from the Climate Council and Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA) has highlighted the emerging threat of grass fires after the rains of the past few years.
Black Summer bushfire research
In January 2023 the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC) released a tranche of reports on research emerging from the Black Summer fires of 2019-2020.
Audit Office report on fire fighting equipment management
A recent report from the NSW Auditor-General “assessed the effectiveness of the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) and local councils in planning and managing equipment for bushfire prevention, mitigation, and suppression.” The report focused mainly on the RFS fire fighting fleet, which comprises land vehicles, marine craft and aircraft, all of which are integral to the agency’s overall bushfire risk management.
Problems with Bushfire Recovery grants
The Department of Regional NSW did not effectively administer the Fast-Tracked stream of the BLER.
The administration process lacked integrity, given it did not have sufficiently detailed guidelines and the assessment process for projects lacked transparency and consistency.
Better backburning & fire danger ratings
Early in 2021 the Rural Fire Service (RFS) responded to a recommendation (no. 47) from the NSW Bushfire Inquiry and introduced a new protocol for backburning. In a more recent advance, also related to to a NSW Bushfire Inquiry recommendation, a new Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDR) has been developed nationally and will be rolled out in NSW from September 2022.
No bushfire changes from coronial review
The report of the NSW Parliament’s Select Committee on the coronial jurisdiction in NSW was tabled on 29 April 2022. The committee carried out a review of the existing coronial system. Coronial legislation requires the coroner to investigate “certain deaths” as well as “fires and explosions that destroy or damage property”. When deaths occur in bushfires, such as in the Black Summer fires of 2019-2020, these purposes overlap.
Boost to National Park fire management
In another 12 June pre-budget announcement (see previous post), and in further response to the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, the NSW Government committed $598 million over 10 years to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to “bolster firefighting capabilities, improve radio networks and enhance the protection of significant habitats like the world-famous Wollemi pines”.
Bushfire budget announcement
The 2022-23 budget will commit another $315.2 million over the next four years to “complete
the recommendations of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry”.
Coronial Jurisdiction in NSW being reviewed
A Select Committee of the NSW Parliament is carrying out a review of the existing coronial system, which holds inquiries into unexplained deaths, damaging bushfires and some other matters.
Independent Bushfire Group 