Fire research that has left a deep and lasting lesson and teaching legacyin Australia

Australia's bushfire landscape has been shaped by 60 years plus of important fire research, providing a legacy of lessons in fire mitigation, behaviour, suppression and other research areas, and the attached comprehensive review highlights this.

The full review is included here.

A legacy of high standard and effective research

Fire research has been critical in the development of Australian fire management, 143 research reports are highlighted in Annexure 1 of the full review.The author of this review considers that many of the listed research across Australia has been world class in relation to prescribed burning, aerial prescribed burning development, fire behaviour and fuels, fire effects, Aboriginal and human burning, unnatural fire regimes, severe fire events, eucalypt decline, bushfire suppression and lesson capture.

Notably, the science of aerial prescribed burning, pioneered in the late 1960s and 1970s, stands out as a transformative achievement. This innovation enabled large-scale fuel reduction across remote and rugged terrains, dramatically improving bushfire mitigation.

Researchers such as Alan McArthur, Harry Luke, David Packham, and also Geoffrey Rodger are recognized for their foundational contributions. Their work laid the groundwork for understanding fire dynamics and developing practical tools for suppression and prevention. Rodger's 1961 Royal Commission report, for example, provided critical recommendations for bushfire control following devastating fires in Western Australia.

Case studies in fire research excellence

Three major research programs illustrate the depth and impact of Australian fire science:

Southwest Western Australia (WA): The Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) led extensive studies on forest fire behaviour, effects, and suppression. WA's commitment to fire ecology and adaptive management has been lauded as world-class, with a strong emphasis on integrating research into operational practices.

Project Aquarius (1983–1984): Initiated by CSIRO, this project investigated the effectiveness of aerial water and retardant application. Large-scale experimental fires in jarrah forests provided valuable data on high-intensity fire behaviour and suppression techniques. Although the project faced challenges in data analysis, it advanced understanding of wildfire dynamics and highlighted the need for improved fire rating indices.

Project Vesta (1996–2007): This long-term study, involving CSIRO and WA's Department of Environment and Conservation, examined fire behaviour in dry eucalypt forests. Over 100 experimental fires revealed that prescribed burning significantly reduces fire intensity, rate of spread, and spotting potential. The findings informed the development of the Dry Eucalypt Forest Fire Model (DEFFM), a predictive tool still used today.

Aerial prescribed burning revolutionized fire management in Australia

The development of aerial prescribed burning revolutionized fire management in Australia. First trialled in WA's Pingerup State Forest in 1965, the technique quickly spread nationwide. By the early 1970s, WA was conducting aerial burns over 300,000 hectares annually, dramatically reducing the incidence of severe bushfires.

Innovations such as the incendiary capsule, combining potassium permanganate and ethylene glycol, enabled precise ignition on the ground from aircraft. This method allowed for grid-pattern burns, ensuring thorough fuel reduction even in inaccessible areas, spacing and the location of the capsules to minimise scorch.

Aerial fire management now includes planes, helicopters, drones, and advanced ignition systems. These tools enhance safety, precision, and coverage, particularly in rugged terrain.