The research focus on aerial
suppression brings together elements from a number of research
projects across the Bushfire CRC.
Ultimately the objective is to
produce a decision support system that will assist aircraft
managers (and Planning Officers and Incident Controllers, State and
Regional Co-ordinators and Chief Officers) to better utilise the
available resources to ensure their effective and efficient use.
The key here is to understand what is at risk, what resources are
available (and their capabilities), and what they cost. These
considerations then need to be matched with a measure of the
difficulty of suppression for given fuels and weather.
In considering a risk based approach
to the management of landscape fire, the relevant elements include
prevention (minimising the incidence of wildfire), preparedness
(the preparation for wildfire occurrence); suppression (restricting
the spread of a wildfire) and recovery (the post-fire phase).
In developing a ‘Fire Management Business Model’
(Project A4) there is considerable overlap between this theme and
the three other outcome areas (or themes) and particularly between
this one and prescribed burning.
As such, some of the adoption
products for aerial suppression and prescribed burning have been
combined, particularly in the educational area.
The majority of educational
activities listed under the prescribed burning outcomes are also
applicable to understanding the fire management context of aerial
suppression. For this reason the commitments listed below
should be read in conjunction with those listed under prescribed
burning.
Aerial suppression specific
commitments include:
1. Aerial suppression industry forum
– May 2009
This invitation-only, industry-based
forum will enable participants to build an understanding of the
impact of the research on the operations of the aircraft
industry.
2. Fire Notes
Four
Fire Notes relating to aerial suppression have been
published (to right). An additional Fire Note is currently
being prepared on Guidelines to assist aerial suppression and
should be available in April.
3. Specific products
Guidelines to assist in the selection and effective use of aerial
suppression resources are currently in preparation. Publication is
currently expected to occur in July.
