Lake Clifton fires report

The report of a Bushfire CRC task force led by Professor Jim McLennan of La Trobe University into the Lake Clifton fire near Perth on 10 January this year has just been published.

Task force members interviewed members of 35 households from with the affected area and five on its edge about their bushfire preparation and knowledge.

Ten houses were lost in the fire.

The researchers found that most people interviewed had no previous experience of bushfire; most received bushfire preparedness material prepared by the Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA); less than half had any longer term bushfire preparedness measures in place, and there was limited appreciation of the potential for a serious bushfire on that particular day.

Most had thought about what they would do in the event of a bushfire and had a bushfire plan, and took action in accordance with the plan – after the fire most said they would follow this same course of action again.

The researchers came from La Trobe, the University of Melbourne, the University of Western Australia and FESA Community Engagement.