National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management - Findings and Recommendations

1. Bushfire in Australia
2. The 2002–03 fire season
3. Learning how to live with fire
4. A risk-management framework
5. Research, information and analysis
6. Risk modification
7. Readiness
8. Response
9. Recovery
10. Governance and coordination
11. Knowledge, learning and training
12. Rural fire service volunteering
13. Reviewing performance
14. National principles for bushfire mitigation and management

 

Finding 2.1

The 2002–03 fire season, extending from May 2002 in northern Australia to April 2003 in southern and western Australia, was characterised by:

• a historically significant fire season

• the potential to be the most severe fire season in all states and territories for between 20 and 40 years

• major fires in all jurisdictions, affecting in excess of 54 million hectares, with vast areas being affected in central and northern Australia

• major campaign fires in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and Victoria and a major disaster in Canberra on 18 January 2003.

In total, these fires claimed 10 lives, destroyed over 1200 structures, killed over 21 000 head of livestock, and resulted in great environmental damage and estimated insurance losses in excess of $400 million.

The principal reasons for the severity of the 2002–03 fire season were the prolonged drought over much of Australia, which dried out available grassland and forest fuels, combined with above-average temperatures and a much higher incidence of lightning strikes.

Finding 3.1

Well-informed and well-prepared individuals and communities complement the roles of land managers and fire agencies. This shared responsibility offers the best way of minimising risks to people, property and the environment. Effective community education, awareness and engagement programs targeted to the needs of local communities are required to achieve this objective.

Finding 5.1

The quality and currency of digital mapping databases are critical for the provision of up-to-date mapping products. The Inquiry supports and encourages state and territory and Australian Government initiatives to digitise existing spatially explicit data and develop digital mapping databases according to nationally agreed procedures and standards and to make these products available in operationally useful form. The Inquiry strongly supports the role of national bodies and representative groups in facilitating nationally consistent and accessible spatial data and data products.

Finding 5.2

The Inquiry supports the use of remotely sensed data to provide more extensive, objective and timely data for informing strategic and operational decisions about fire mitigation and management. It also supports the development and delivery, in user-friendly forms, of data products that facilitate access by the community, as well as the staff of fire, land management and emergency services agencies.

Finding 5.3

The Inquiry notes the following:

• the fundamental importance of high-quality, locally specific weather information and forecasting services to bushfire mitigation and management

• he high quality of services provided by the Bureau of Meteorology

• the potential cost and the consistency implications of some weather services being provided by commercial suppliers.

The Inquiry supports the following:

• the continuation and further enhancement of Bureau of Meteorology fire weather forecasting

• the resourcing of the Bureau at a level sufficient for it to maintain and develop these services, particularly at the regional level

• further exploration of the potential benefits of a more strongly coordinated national fire weather forecasting system.

Finding 5.4

The Inquiry supports the development of whole-of-government initiatives to improve aspects of information and data collection, storage, exchange and reporting. These initiatives should recognise the agencies involved in bushfire mitigation and management and take into account the particular characteristics of bushfires in the design and implementation of reporting systems.

Finding 5.5

The Inquiry strongly supports further capacity building relevant to bushfire data and information among communities and the public and private sectors.

Finding 5.6

A national coordinating mechanism representing the principal interests and organisations in bushfire research is necessary to maximise the national benefit from investments in bushfire research.

Finding 6.1

The Inquiry supports the view, expressed in Natural Disasters in Australia , that land use planning that takes into account natural hazard risks is the single most important mitigation measure for preventing future disaster losses (including from bushfires) in areas of new development. Planning and development controls must be effective, to ensure that inappropriate developments do not occur.

Finding 6.2

Adequate resourcing of local government is essential for robust and competent bushfire planning and decision making and for ensuring continuing maintenance of protection zones and adherence to development controls.

Finding 6.3

Arson remains a significant risk for bushfire ignitions, and the states and territories must continue to direct resources towards deterring people from engaging in this illegal activity. National information sharing will assist, although a national program is not justified.

Finding 6.4

There needs to be a shared understanding and valuing of assets in relation to bushfire mitigation and management. There also needs to be better recognition of the fact that prescribed burning is a complex matter—ecologically and operationally—and that a variety of prescribed fire regimes might be necessary to meet a range of objectives.

Finding 6.5

There is a need to develop ways of assessing the effectiveness of fuel-reduction programs in terms of the resultant degree of reduction in risk.

Finding 6.6

Comparing the gross area treated annually in fuel-reduction burning—that is, for a whole agency, region or state—with a published target is not a good basis for assessing performance and is likely to be counterproductive.

Finding 6.7

The Inquiry supports the adoption of an adaptive management approach to setting fire regimes that are appropriate for biodiversity conservation. Such an approach should:

• make explicit the biodiversity objectives

• recognise lack of knowledge and clarify questions that need to be answered

• design burning prescriptions that can answer these questions

• devise and fund monitoring and other data-collection activities

• review and communicate results

• use the new knowledge to modify the management prescription.

Finding 6.8

More research and monitoring are required in order to understand the effects of fuel-reduction burning and large-scale bushfire events on water quality and quantity in catchment areas.

Finding 6.9

The potential for a reduction in air quality is one of several impediments to achieving necessary levels of fuel-reduction burning. There is a trade-off between tolerating reduced air quality and achieving risk reduction by fuel-reduction burning. Resolution of the question requires both more research and effective dialogue with the community.

Finding 6.10

Long-term strategic research, planning and investment are necessary if the Australian Government and state and territory governments are to prepare for the changes to bushfire regimes and events that will be caused by climate change.

Finding 6.11

There is a potential trade-off between maximising native pasture production by using fire and avoiding biodiversity loss. Too-frequent use of fire, and too much uniformity in fires, can result in loss of biodiversity in a region.

Finding 6.12

Natural resource management regional plans developed under the National Heritage Trust should take bushfire management into account and be consistent with the bushfire risk–management process.

Finding 7.1

The community information and engagement programs conducted by the states and territories are generally comprehensive. Their effectiveness depends on community uptake and commitment. Community surveying needs to be done regularly to ensure that programs retain their relevance and are being delivered in ways that maximise community participation and understanding.

Finding 7.2

The Inquiry supports the efforts of the National Coordination Committee for Government Radio Communications in seeking to develop a national strategic plan to enable interoperability of emergency service radio communication across Australia.

Finding 7.3

Emergency services' readiness for and response to bushfires is reliant not only on the movement and concentration of firefighting resources but also on the assured availability of recovery services and infrastructure support such as telecommunications. Community service obligations of suppliers should include this requirement.

Finding 8.1

The current all-hazards control and coordination arrangements at the national and state and territory levels are adequate for the operational management of bushfires in Australia.

Finding 8.2

Effective management of large rural fire incidents remains one of the greatest challenges for fire authorities. If bushfire management performance and outcomes are to improve, the necessary focus and resources must be directed to this end. The AIIMS Incident Control System offers the means to achieve that.

Finding 8.3

Failure to acknowledge and use local knowledge erodes the credibility of fire agencies and the AIIMS Incident Control System, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of the national bushfire-response effort.

Finding 8.4

The Inquiry commends the ‘safety first' approach adopted by fire agencies. This approach does, however, highlight the need for effective mentoring to complement formal training. It is not sufficient to rely on technical qualifications and competencies alone.

Finding 8.5

Fire access trails and water access are important, practical components of bushfire mitigation and management that are often inadequately considered. Consistent national markings adopted by all states and territories would benefit bushfire response, particularly for out-of-area fire crews.

Finding 8.6

• Defence has the capacity to provide valuable assistance in support of bushfire fighting, but it has a limited number of personnel with the necessary training to engage in direct firefighting operations. This is are not always well understood by the public and should be better explained by Defence.

• The operating arrangements for Defence assistance to the civil community are effective, as is the coordination of that assistance at the local Defence command level and through Emergency Management Australia for larger scale or longer duration events.

• Defence support during the 2002–03 fire season was in all cases effective and well received.

• Matters relating to the possible presence of unexploded ordnance on former Defence land are emotive locally and require direct consultations between the Department of Defence and the fire agency concerned.

Finding 8.7

The Inquiry encourages the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre to place considerable emphasis on the aerial suppression elements of its firefighting technology project, being conscious of the three years planned to achieve a result. Early publication of results from the study will be an important contribution to the future work of the National Aerial Firefighting Centre. The appropriate extent of aerial support for bushfire fighting cannot properly be determined until the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre has completed its research.

Finding 8.8

The Inquiry supports the approach taken in Victorian performance agreements, whereby aerial providers receive a proportion of the contract price dependent on satisfactory performance in such areas as safety, load performance, availability and communications. The Inquiry encourages the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre to review this approach as part of its research.

Finding 8.9

The Inquiry considers that aerial fire suppression makes an important contribution to bushfire-suppression operations. We support the approach that the most effective use of aerial bombing is during the early stages of fire development, to establish and maintain control lines and to protect assets in the path of a fire. The effectiveness of aerial bombing on more intense fires is questionable. All aerial operations are reliant on a coordinated approach with the firefighters on the ground.

Finding 8.10

A decision on the application of the ‘go early or stay and defend' policy in circumstances where particular properties are not defendable is one for individual states and territories.

Finding 9.1

The insurance industry should provide improved and more consistent advice to policy holders on how to ensure that their level of insurance cover for buildings and contents meets the full replacement cost.

Finding 9.2

An opportunity exists for the insurance industry to engage in community bushfire awareness through offering a premium reduction for property owners who have taken bushfire preparedness measures. This may have only a limited impact, but any raising of community awareness is beneficial.

Finding 10.1

A single ministerial council overseeing bushfire mitigation and management is not practical because of varying considerations that must be taken into account by the different jurisdictions and government departments and agencies.

Finding 10.2

Urban and rural fire agencies are drawing closer together, and operational coordination within land management organisations is improving. Much has been achieved in the last 20 years. This trend should be encouraged: it reduces operational vulnerability during emergencies and provides the best possible service to communities. Regardless of the structure in place, though, a single, unified command and integrated operational planning and response must exist.

Finding 10.3

The potential savings from collective purchases of major equipment items between states and territories is extensive and should be explored through the Australasian Fire Authorities Council.

Finding 12.1

Existing state and territory arrangements for the representation of rural fire service volunteers are sound and provide an appropriate vehicle for volunteer consultation at agency and government levels. Questions of national significance should be directed through Volunteering Australia.

Finding 12.2

The Inquiry is satisfied that existing state and territory legislation dealing with occupational health and safety is sound and that the effort required to achieve a nationally uniform approach is not warranted. In other areas where volunteer firefighters may be liable, the Inquiry is satisfied that volunteers do not face greater exposure than other citizens. We do, however, urge the states and territories to maintain a process of review, to ensure that judicial interpretations are reflected in policy and procedures and that volunteers are not disadvantaged, particularly when they deploy interstate.

Finding 12.3

The Inquiry commends employers of emergency services volunteers for their contribution in allowing volunteers to deploy during emergency events. Their contribution is critical to the viability of volunteer fire brigades and needs to be recognised at every opportunity.

Finding 12.4

Access to Centrelink payments for volunteers deployed on campaign fires and other people who are displaced or cut off by fires was a problem in some states. The Inquiry considers this matter should be amenable to resolution through liaison at the appropriate level between state and territory and Australian Government officials.

Finding 12.5

The Inquiry received no information to suggest that state and territory rural fire services would benefit from the recognition of their volunteers as trainees. There was concern that such a change might lead to fire agencies losing control of key training responsibilities. On the basis of the available information, the Inquiry does not support this proposal.

Finding 12.6

The Inquiry endorses the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre's volunteerism research project. Consideration should be given to expanding the project to include an examination of the professional development needs of managers of volunteers.

Finding 12.7

Use of a brigade classification structure based on risk assessments is a sound approach, providing greater flexibility for volunteer commitment, particularly for rural volunteers who are unlikely to fight bushfires outside their local area.

Finding 13.1

All reviews and investigations into bushfire events, at any level—internal or independent—need to focus on learning not blame. The inquiry approach needs to focus on this outcome, in the interests of all involved. Coronial inquests into bushfire matters other than deaths may not be the most suitable form of inquiry.