Climate change is supercharging our bushfire seasons. Victoria’s latest Climate Science Report predicts that the annual number of high fire danger days in Victoria is projected to increase, in some areas, by over 60% by the 2050s. These climate-fuelled bushfires threaten lives, housing, health, industry, First Nations cultural heritage and biodiversity on an unprecedented scale.
Longer, more intense bushfire seasons are placing heavy burdens on Victoria’s firefighters. As climate change causes bushfire seasons around the world to overlap, we may not be able to draw on firefighting support from interstate and overseas as we have in the past for the ‘surge capacity’ needed during large bushfires.
How can firefighting in Victoria be modernised to tackle the climate-fuelled bushfires of the 21st century?
With the Victorian government’s new Bushfire Management Strategy currently being finalised, the government has the opportunity to make some innovative firefighting ideas a reality that will protect people and places we love.
Join us to hear from a panel of speakers with intimate knowledge of firefighting and fire management share their ideas for strengthening our responses to bushfire.
Speakers:
- Sarah Harris, Manager Research and Development, Fire Risk, Research and Community Preparedness (CFA)
Sarah will discuss how climate change is influencing fire weather in Victoria and the implications for bushfire management and also identify some adaptation opportunities.
- Benjamin Mallinson, Program Manager – Djandak Wi (Country fire), Djaara.
The use of cultural fire to heal Dja Dja Wurrung Country.
-
Dr. Philip Zylstra, fire behaviour scientist and Adjunct Associate Professor at Curtin University
Phil will show how an improved understanding of fire behaviour can guide safer and more effective deployment of remote fire fighting resources, and improved fire management practices that maximise opportunities for rapid suppression.
- Cam Walker, Friends of the Earth campaign coordinator and CFA volunteer
Cam will give an overview of a proposal for new firefighting opportunities for urban based people.
- Jordan Crook, Park Protection and Nature Campaigner, Victorian National Parks Association
Discussion will go for a bit over an hour, with time at the end for questions.
