The potential role and efficacy of community groups in bushfire
management: A case study analysis of volunteerism on the
urban-rural boundary of Burnside, South Australia and Kalamunda,
Western Australia.
This research is concerned with investigating the efficacy of
bushfire planning and management through the establishment of
‘Fire Catchment Management Groups’. This research will
examine two volunteer fire fighting brigades and their communities
in Burnside in the Adelaide Hills, as well as Kalamunda in the
hills suburbs to the east of Perth. Burnside and Kalamunda have
been selected as case study sites for three reasons.
First, Burnside, Kalamunda and the surrounding communities are
considered peri-urban, second, they are high bushfire prone
regions, and finally they both have established volunteer fire
fighting organisations. In addition to the examination of local
volunteer fire fighting organisations; local governments,
communities and land management agencies will be encouraged to
contribute to the potential establishment of ‘Fire Catchment
Management Groups’ and work towards the development of
community action plans.
This research will concentrate on how these groups might be
established and the potential role of volunteers in effective
bushfire management. This will be the first ever investigation into
the management of bushfires at catchment level that explores the
role of volunteer groups and local communities. The overall aim of
the project is to investigate the following question:
“How might volunteer community organisations best be
utilised in the management and prevention of bushfires?”
Project Link: C1 Understanding communities
Project Link: C6 The "stay-or-go" policy
