The Mega-Fire Phenomenon – Australian Workshops, August 2006

Mega-fires are extraordinary wildfires, in terms of their size, complexity, and resistance to control. Few in number they exhibit fire behaviour characteristics that exceed all efforts at control, regardless of the type, kind, or number of firefighting assets that are brought to bear.

The Bushfire CRC, in conjunction with AFAC, arranged for Jerry Williams from USA to conduct a series of workshops with fire and land agencies on this mega-fire phenomenon. Workshops were conducted in Perth, South Australia, Queensland, NSW, ACT and Victoria.

Over 200 people attended the interactive workshops which were aimed at gaining appreciation of  the forces which Fire and Land Management Agencies need to examine if the fire industry is to minimise the social, ecological and economic impacts of Mega-fires.

Read the Jerry Williams - Bushfire CRC                media release
View the Jerry Williams Mega Fire Workshop Presentation

“The Mega-Fire Phenomenon: Toward a More Effective Management Model”, Brookings Institute, September 2005 - read the Concept Paper which builds on the work of the Mega-fire Scoping Group at the Brookings Institute of which Jerry Williams was a team leader.

Jerry Williams speaking