New projects are continuously being developed for Natural Hazards Research Australia’s research program, with another four projects now beginning active research.
The four projects are:
This project will optimise the translation and utilisation of research outcomes from the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC’s Modelling fire weather interactions using the ACCESS-Fire model Black Summer project via the development of a range of professional development modules and educational materials. Led by Dr Mika Peace (Bureau of Meteorology), the new knowledge from this project will be translated and utilised into Fire Behaviour Analyst, Intelligence Officer and more general fireground professional development training programs and workshops to enable its application in risk communication, operationalisation for bushfire situational awareness and fireground safety advice for fire crews.
2. Identifying water sources for aerial firefighting
Working closely with the National Aerial Firefighting Centre and led by Geoscience Australia, this project will extend the work already done through the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC Identifying water sources using satellite imagery Black Summer project to work towards the delivery of a spatial product whose primary use will be identifying the locations of accessible water bodies in near real time, contributing to efficient use of aircraft and aircraft selection and allocation based on access to water, and providing advise to air desks, air bases and air crews to assist in their situational awareness and decision making.
3. Streamlining SWIRLnet data acquisition, analysis, storage and dissemination procedures
Led by Dr Matthew Mason at the University of Queensland, this project will to automate and streamline the current data acquisition and dissemination procedures enacted within the SWIRLnet program of portable weather stations deployed during tropical cyclones in Queensland. This project will lead to the development of an improved interface for end-users to interact with real-time data, a more automated and robust analysis procedure and the incorporation of two further stations into the network.
This project is a utilisation extension of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC's Child-centred disaster risk reduction project and will design, trial and evaluate a pilot community-centred, place-based participatory program and refine an approach for scaled implementation in high-risk locations across Victoria. Led by Neil Munro (CFA) and Dr Briony Towers (RMIT University), this project will fill the nationwide gap in the design and delivery of a community-centred place-based participatory fire safety education program for students in upper primary school.
Watch Neil and Briony explore how disaster education at Harkaway Primary School on Melbourne’s leafy urban fringe is upskilling and empowering children to prepare for a bushfire at home, at school and in their town:
To explore the Centre’s full list of current and upcoming projects, navigate to Find a project under the Research tab. Use the panel on the left hand side to filter your search by overarching research theme, key topics, project status (including projects currently in progress, those open for Expressions of Interest and those that are proposed for further development), project type or participating organisation. Alternatively, start typing for a specific project in the Project search bar at the top of the page.