Project Leader Peter Ellis, Ensis (the joint forces of CSIRO & SCION)

The CRC’s development of the Bushfire Observer’s Handbook aims to reduce the risks of subjective reporting and dangers that occur through inaccurate reporting of fire behaviour. It will provide agreed definitions of the characteristics of bushfire behaviour, for the observation and measurement of quantities: including intensity, flame geometry (height, depth, and angle), rate of spread and size.

The Handbook will be used to help scientists gather compatible fire behaviour data. It will cover rules such as quantification of the conditions in which a fire is burning, weather, air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction, fuel type, structure load condition and hazard and topography (slope and aspect). The handbook will also prove useful for bushfire suppression and firefighter safety.

Project Leader: Peter Ellis, CSIRO, Ph: (02) 6281 8389