In late December 2024 and early January 2025, NSW firefighting authorities faced a run of numerous bushfires in remote locations. Most if not all were ignited by lightning. On 27 December storms swept over the Blue Mountains and about a dozen fires popped up across the northern parts of Wollemi and Yengo national parks and adjacent bushland.
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Why fly?
Why Fly? Assessing the effectiveness of aerial firefighting is a research project of the Australian Government funded Natural Hazards Research Australia, in partnership with the National Aerial Firefighting Centre.
NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the assets, premises and funding of the Rural Fire Service
This inquiry by the Public Accounts Committee of the Legislative Assembly kicked off in February 2024 with public submissions and then two hearing days in August and September. Full details, terms of reference, submissions and hearing transcripts are available on the inquiry’s web page.
New research projects
The recently established NSW Bushfire & Natural Hazards Research Centre (see post below of 24 July) has published their research program. Most of the 19 projects are bushfire-related, covering topics as diverse as smoke hazards, fuel management, early detection of lightning fires, backburning, ecological management, fire retardant impacts and utilising FESM (fire extent severity mapping).
Escape of ‘Meatworks’ planned burn, Sydney
On Saturday 21 September a planned burn for hazard reduction near Oxford Falls on Sydney’s northern beaches escaped containment and spread to a much larger area.
NSW Bushfire & Natural Hazards Research Centre
The NSW Bushfire and Natural Hazards Research Centre was established in January 2023 as an outcome of the 2020 NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry.
The centre “unites researchers from partner universities with government agencies, frontline emergency services, Aboriginal people and community stakeholders in a collective effort to tackle the challenges posed by bushfires and other natural hazards”.
Shortfall in planned burning
After wet weather in May the Rural Fire Service issued a media statement saying that “thousands of hectares of hazard reduction burns scheduled for autumn have been postponed”.
Fire and old growth vegetation
Two recent media articles have reported on research looking at the role of fire in tall, wet forests, and ‘long unburnt’ vegetation. These reports contribute to the ongoing discussion about the role of fire in the Australian environment and how fire can be managed with biodiversity conservation in mind.
Revelations from the NSW Bushfires Coronial
The coroner’s report contains much useful information. Of particular interest is an ‘executive statement’ submitted to the coroner from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), which is reproduced in full in the coroner’s report. The NPWS statement raises three concerns: Prioritisation of aircraft, particularly for rapid response to new ignitions, command and control of fires, investigation of fires.
‘Long unburnt’ habitat is disappearing
Researchers report that changing fire patterns are having a major impact on biodiversity. Areas that have escaped fire for decades or centuries feature vital structures for wildlife such as logs and tree hollows, and are critical habitat for many threatened species. They found that this long unburnt habitat is in severe decline.
Independent Bushfire Group 