News

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.

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.

As Australian recovers from its worst ever fire season, a new study establishes for the first time the safe physical work standards that should be applied for the nation’s 220,000 volunteer firefighters.

As Australian recovers from its worst ever fire season, a new study establishes for the first time the safe physical work standards that should be applied for the nation’s 220,000 volunteer firefighters.