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Bushfire in Australia: a natural phenomenon, imposed on an unnatural landscape

Bushfire in Australia: a natural phenomenon, imposed on an unnatural landscape. Canberra, 18 January 2003 r: 10am, 2pm, 3pm. l: 3pm. Contrasting attitudes to, and use of fire, pre- and post-European settlement of Australia “Tamed fire became feral” David Bowman. Lycett 1817- NGA ).

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Bushfire in Australia: a natural phenomenon, imposed on an unnatural landscape

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  1. Bushfire in Australia:a natural phenomenon, imposed on an unnatural landscape Canberra, 18 January 2003 r: 10am, 2pm, 3pm. l: 3pm

  2. Contrasting attitudes to,and use of fire, pre- and post-European settlement of Australia “Tamed fire became feral” David Bowman Lycett 1817- NGA) Strutt 1864 - NGV

  3. Bushfire in Australia • Who (else) was here 18 January 2003? • Were you prepared/ scared/ oblivious? Peter Kanowski FSES, ANU Member, Council of Australian Governments National Bushfire Inquiry 2004 www.coagbushfireinquiry.gov.au

  4. Bushfire in Australia:3 paradoxes • a natural & necessary (& inevitable) processbutthreatening to life & assets (property, infrastructure, the environment) • high levels of Indigenous & expert knowledgebutgenerally poor community understanding • increasing technological sophisticationbutcontinuing reliance on volunteers & community

  5. Bushfire in Australia • A natural & necessary processbutthreatening to life & assets (property, infrastructure, the environment) • Number of bushfires in which: • - lives lost: 60 • significant property loss: 22 • significant stock loss: 25 • A regular feature of lifein a fire-prone continent: • 1851, 1898, 1926, 1939, • 1961, 1967, 1983, 1994, 2001, 2003 Geoff Cary Malcolm Gill

  6. Bushfire in Australia Lindesay 2003, from BoM

  7. Bushfire in Australia Satellite-mapped fire areas 2002 & 2003 (WA DLI)

  8. Bushfire in Australia • high levels of Indigenous & expert knowledgebutgenerally poor community understanding Jeremy Russell-Smith Why don’t Australians learn to survive bushfirethe same way we learn to survive the ocean?

  9. Bushfire in Australia What sort of knowledge do we need,and how can we best acquire and update it? Indigenous Scientific Professional & local Richard Baker Geoff Cary

  10. Bushfire in Australia increasing technological sophisticationbutcontinuing reliance on volunteers & community Jeremy Russell-Smith www.ericksonaircrane.com

  11. COAG Bushfire Inquiry:“Living with fire” • Australians should be better educated about fire:- school, individual, community web2.entity1.com/fire_nt/

  12. COAG Bushfire Inquiry:“Living with fire” • Australians should be better prepared for fire:- better use of knowledge & information: Indigenous, scientific, professional, local …- more investment in preparedness- more strategic investment of resources- more coordination in response www.bushfirecrc.comwww.wildlandfire.net www.afac.com.au

  13. COAG Bushfire Inquiry:“Living with fire” • Australia’s governments & institutionsshould work together more effectivelyto support these goals www.coagbushfireinquiry.gov.au

  14. “Living with fire” We have to get over the perpetual characterisation of wild fire in Australia as a terrifying aberration, an ineluctable, unpredictable Act of God, and start to see it and manage it as an inherently Australian phenomenon that goes with the territory. Fire is a crucial shaper of many of our landscapes and a valuable resource management tool. Rather than demonising fire with the language of warfare, disaster, destruction and terror, we should have explicit programs that are about learning to live with fire … Andrew Campbell 2003 in “Australia burning”

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