Research in New Zealand

This week I am with Research Director, Richard Thornton, visiting our Bushfire CRC partners in New Zealand.

In Wellington we shared our perspectives on the current research program of the Bushfire CRC with the National Rural Fire Authority and the New Zealand Fire Service and discussed the planned focus for ongoing work under the proposed bushfire research Institute. We then met researchers from a range of universities and research organisations, including Massey University and Scion.

Later in the week we are in Dunedin for the Forest and Rural Fire Association conference – this year the theme is Firefighters: recruitment, training and retention. This event will be a further opportunity to discuss current and future plans on fire research and how they overlap with the potential for broader research into all hazards emergency management. At this conference will be New Zealand and Australian fire and land management agency staff.