Understanding the Physical Context Of Life Loss In Historic Bushfire Events

Presentation at Research Forum of the 2012 Bushfire CRC and AFAC Annual Conference.

A detail review of the physical circumstances of life loss in historic bushfire events is underway in order to inform the Attorney generals Department funded Fire Danger Rating Systems Project. Rather than focusing on risk perception & decision making it focuses on the local physical circumstances including the local fire and fire weather severity.

The review involves a detailed re-analysis of coronial reports, bushfire enquiries and related documents. The relevant data will be recorded in a Geo Database to make statically analysis and spatial queries simple and effective. The project will deliver the data set and a select set of statistical analyses with a view to finding general trends and correlations.

The work will provide important contextual information to assist in developing criteria and metrics for warning the community given specific fire weather forecasts, and also assist in regulatory reform and community education around life risk mitigation through urban design.