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Smoke masks on show - managing exposure to bushfire smoke

As bushfires burn throughout Australia virtually all year round, the role of the firefighter remains a difficult one. With an ever expanding rural-urban interface, firefighters are often involved in protecting property and apart from the intense heat and physical demands, firefighters may also be exposed to bushfire smoke that contains a cocktail of volatile compounds.

Emergency service volunteering is a family matter

Emergency service volunteers and their partners or spouses are being asked to comment on how their volunteer community role fits in with their family life.

Fire hazard study on refugee communities - talking to Sudanese in Toowoomba

A James Cook University study investigating Sudanese refugees and their knowledge of fire safety has won a Safer Communities Award from Emergency Management Australia (EMA). “The Sudanese Refugees and Fire Hazard Study”, a collaboration between Bushfire CRC researchers at JCU and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, was conducted in Toowoomba, which is home to about 800 Sudanese refugees.

Fire a feature of hazard book

Bushfires are only one focus of a new book out of the Centre for Disaster Studies at James Cook University in Townsville.

Tracking firefighters in Tasmania

For vegetation fires, what activities does a volunteer tanker-based firefighter do in an average day’s work? A question that is the focus of the study being undertaken by Bushfire CRC researchers Dr Brad Aisbett and PhD student Matthew Phillips from Deakin University, assisted by the Tasmania Fire Service (TFS), Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry Tasmania.

Fire Weather Workshop - fire potential high into 2007

Above normal bushfire potential is predicted for much of Australia over the coming months, according to the first national assessment from climatologists, meteorologists and fire agency staff.

Tree decline

Eucalypts are arguably the defining feature of Australia’s flora. There are more than 800 species of eucalypts and their range in Australia extends from sub-alpine areas, through wet and dry coastal forests, to temperate woodlands and the arid inland. There are only about 12 species of eucalypt that occur naturally outside Australia, and only two species are not found in Australia.

Fire, drought and climate change - exploring the unholy trinity

The mysteries of climate change are being explored across the high plains and mountain forests of Australia through a study trying to unravel the complex interaction among water yield, fire, drought and long term changes in climate.

Wed, 29/08/2012

An incredible journey

Posted: 10 years 6 months ago

After 11 years, we are about to enter the last month of your Bushfire CRC. It has been an incredible journey since 2003.

For me, what has stood out the most, notwithstanding the ground breaking research, is the culture change the industry has undertaken throughout this period. At the heart of this has been the close partnership between the Bushfire CRC and AFAC. The...

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Gary Morgan

CEO

Bushfire CRC

Tools available into the future

Posted: 10 years 6 months ago

There is only a month left of the Bushfire CRC, but there is plenty of activity going on. The Research to Drive Change series has been launched, with two successful online forums held. Keep your eyes peeled to the...

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Nathan Maddock

Communications Officer

Bushfire CRC

Recent FireNotes

Model Pinpoints Factors Driving Extreme Bushfire Behaviour

Fire Note 137: In the 2003 Canberra bushfires, a number of unusual fires were observed in which bushfire spread sideways in a diagonal or crosswise direction to...

Assessing Smoke Exposure from Bushfires and Prescribed Burns

Fire Note 136: This Fire Note reports in more detail on the smoke dispersion modelling work undertaken as part of the Fire Impact and Risk Evaluation...

New Modelling Methods to Estimate Smoke Exposure

Fire Note 135: This Fire Note details research that estimates toxic emissions commonly encountered by firefighters extinguishing fires in semi-rural communities...

Anxiety and Worry Linked with Lower Bushfire Preparedness: Study

Fire Note 134: This Fire Note outlines research undertaken within the bushfire-prone communities of Roleystone and Kelmscott in the Perth Hills, about 45 minutes...

National study profiles bushfire preparedness

Fire Note 133: The national research featured in this Fire Note investigated the community and householder characteristics that contribute to bushfire preparedness in...

Prepared for action: new tools and insights

Fire Note 132: Offers a new way of thinking about bushfire preparedness and its measurement. The study defines preparedness in terms of three householder goals: stay and defend...

Study captures insights on bushfire risk and response

Fire Note 131: In October 2013, bushfires swept across parts of New South Wales, leaving a trail of destruction and loss. The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) commissioned the...

Fire In the landscape, assessing the impact

Fire Note 130: Features the findings of four research projects on the impact of fire on water quantity and quality, as well as changing carbon stores (above and below the ground...

LATEST NEWS

Residents to be surveyed on bushfire response

Mon, 12/10/2009

Residents in areas affected by the Black Saturday fires are being asked to contribute to a long term study on how communities deal with bushfires. The Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre and RMIT University's Centre for Risk and Community Safety are this month conducting a survey to better understand the range of experiences of the 2009 Victorian bushfires.

Seminar: FIRE, FUEL AND WEATHER

Wed, 23/09/2009

Characteristics of fuels and weather drive fire behaviour. These two back-to-back seminars provided an opportunity to hear from the researchers from across Australia involved in issues such as fire behaviour in shrublands, grassland curing and links to the Grassland Fire Danger Index, and evidence for the importance of fire in maintaining forest health.

Bushfire Seasonal Outlook 2009-10

Mon, 14/09/2009

High fire potential for 2009-10 southern bushfire season Above normal fire potential is expected over most of the south-east of Australia in the coming months. For the first time, all of Victoria, south-eastern New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and the southern areas of South Australia are rated by fire and land management agencies as having such a high level of fire potential for the bushfire season.

Long term funding for fire research vital

Fri, 07/08/2009

Australia’s fire and land management agencies have committed to securing a national centre for long-term research into fire. The commitment follows today’s announcement by Minister Kim Carr about the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program. The Bushfire CRC was unsuccessful in gaining funds in this round of CRC funding from the Australian Government. A consortium of 42 Australian fire and land management agencies, research partners and industry partners had put forward a bid for $50m to supplement the sector’s $100m own commitment to an eight year research program.

100 years of 'stay or go'

Wed, 01/07/2009

Before the tragic February 2009 bushfires in Victoria Bushfire CRC researchers had looked at Australian bushfire fatalities over the past 100 years. Lead researcher Dr Katharine Haynes is a Bushfire CRC researcher at RMIT University and Macquarie University’s Risk Frontiers, was summoned to provide detailed evidence on the study to the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission in May.

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