Mega Fires - dealing with extreme bushfires

US expert to deliver workshops

A mega-fire is a new term for the most extreme bushfires in the United States. They are extraordinary bushfires - in terms of their size, complexity, and resistance to control. Although few in number, less than one per cent of all US bushfires, these fires exhibit fire behaviour characteristics that exceed all efforts at control, regardless of the type, kind, or number of fire fighting assets that are brought to bear.

The mega-fire phenomenon presents fire and land managers in Australia with a new paradox in terms of risk management, response and public expectations. How do fire agencies control an uncontrollable bushfire, limit costs and mitigate dangers when public and political pressures to “do more” will only add to the costs and increase the dangers with little or no positive effect?

The Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre has arranged for Jerry Williams from the US to conduct a series of workshops with fire agencies around Australia on this mega-fire phenomenon. Williams was the National Director Fire Management and Aviation for the USDA Forests Service from 2001 until his retirement in 2005 and is currently Senior Advisor to the Brookings Institution on public policy aspects of major fires.

The mega-fires workshops for fire managers take place in:

· Brisbane - Monday, 28 August

· Canberra - Tuesday, 29 August

· Melbourne - Wednesday, 30 August