Project Leader Stuart Anderson, Ensis (the joint forces of CSIRO & SCION)

Curing describes the annual or seasonal cycle of grasses dying and drying out. The proportion of cured material in grassland fuel (indicated by a “curing value”) is a critical input into both Australian and New Zealand fire behaviour models and fire danger rating systems. This project aims to develop improved methods for the prediction of grassland curing as an input into fire danger rating systems and fire behaviour models.

The project will utilise remote sensing technology and pasture/grass growth models to assess curing levels in grasslands.

The outcomes from this research will provide improvements to current remote sensing methods. It will also develop new information on the use of thermal imagery and moisture relationships.