Funding for HighFire provided a unique opportunity to undertake scientific research that will improve the understanding of how fire affects ecosystem functioning, people and communities; and how to manage bushfire risk in high country environments. The project is taking a multidisciplinary approach in relation to issues addressed and methodologies employed. Most notably, HighFire has established a series of long-term ecological research (LTER) sites  in alpine, sub-alpine and montane ecosystems. The LTER will be maintained into the long-term, continuing to provide the scientific evidence-base necessary to underpin future decisions on policy and practical issues.

Eddie Covariance Flux Towers measure carbon and water fluxes across the Bogong High Plains.

The inital funding for HighFire was provided by the Federal Government, through the Department of Education Science and Training (DEST), largely in response to the "A Nation Charred" inquiry into the 2003 fires. However, additional funding, both cash and in-kind, has been provided by UNSW, ACTEW, NSW RFS (including Volunteers), NSW DECC, ACT ESA, and other groups.

HighFire research scope was developed in co-operation with State government managers of land and fire in Victoria, NSW and the ACT and hence the research spans high country areas throughout SE Australia. Research sites are based on private land on the Snowy Plains in NSW, in the Alpine National Park in Victoria, and in the Namadgi National Park and Cotter Catchment in the ACT. Others sites will be considered as additional funding becomes available.

HighFire research is investigating a broad range of issues within the following three major themes:

1. the management of fuel and the trade-offs with managing water and greenhouse gas emissions,
2. bushfire risk management, and
3. human resilience in fire-prone regions

The latter theme is a critical component of this fire-related research as the community is an essential element of our high country.

The HighFire project brings together researchers from the UNSW, ADFA@UNSW, RMIT, CSIRO, ENSIS, , Monash University, The University of Melbourne, and the ACT Emergency Services Agency. The project has also attracted substantial international interest from both Europe and the United States.

Data loggers installed at a research site at Howmans Gap.