June 2010
Australasia-US collaboration
A package of collaborative research proposals is being developed
as a result of the Fire in the Interface research
symposium with 40 invited Australian, New Zealand and United States
researchers in Melbourne and Canberra this month. The event was
organised by the Bushfire CRC in conjunction with the departments
of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Attorney General in Australia,
and the US Department of Homeland Security.
The week-long symposium included meetings
in Parliament House Canberra, and field trips to areas burnt in
Black Saturday in Victoria and in Canberra in 2003.
Over the week, the participants shared knowledge on bushfire
risk on the interface and to developed proposals for collaborative
research projects in the areas of fire behaviour, interface
planning and community safety. These research proposals are now
being developed and will be matched with funding opportunities both
in Australia and the US. Updates on this process can be found
here.
Board moves
Congratulations to Governing Board member
Ray Canterford from the Bureau of Meteorology who has been promoted
to a new position of Deputy Director - Services.
Unfortunately, the Bureau’s gain has been the Bushfire
CRCs loss. Ray’s higher duties have necessitated his
resignation from the Bushfire CRC Board, effective from the June
Board meeting.
Fresh success
Dr Andrew Dowdy, a Bushfire CRC
researcher at the Bureau of Meteorology, was one of 16 early-career
scientists who presented their research to the public in Fresh
Science, a national program sponsored by the Australian Government
and hosted by the Melbourne Museum.
Andrew has studied the occurrence of fires caused by
lightning, particularly “dry-lightning” that occurs
without significant rainfall. This research is the first ever
systematic examination of the association between lightning and
fires undertaken in Australia.
He has also found that wind speed plays a bigger role than
temperature in creating dangerous conditions for bushfires.
His
work with the Bushfire CRC has led to new possibilities for
predicting bushfire conditions based on the weather.
