By impact: Fire Resilience

Heat, Fire and Flood Forum

The Heat, Fire and Flood forum was organised by the Port Phillip Emergency Climate Action Network (PECAN) and Bayside Climate Crisis Action Group (BCCAG) in February 2020. PECAN, as a network, comprises a number of community groups, all concerned about real action on climate change. Check out the recording here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVe6DTJdtm0
Scotsburn Fire Game – Be Prepared

On December 19th 2015, a bushfire started on a forty-degree day. It affected Scotsburn and the surrounding community near Ballarat. The fire destroyed 12 homes, over 4000 hectares of bush and farming land, native and farm animals, fracturing lives. In response to the fire affected community, Emergency Management Victoria’s National Disaster Resilience Grants Scheme, Moorabool Shire…
Sarsfield Community Association – Sarsfield Snaps

This special project in Sarsfield was initially about helping local children deal with their trauma on the road to recovery. But 5 years on from the 2019-20 Eastern Victoria bushfires, it has done so much more than that, leading to healing for the whole town. Check it out here:https://www.sarsfield.com.au/projects/sarsfieldsnaps
Climate Risk Map of Australia – Climate Council

Over 2 million homes and businesses are at high or moderate risk today from worsening extreme weather driven by climate pollution. Is your home in the firing line? The Climate Council has the answer, via their climate risk map, and website full of resources on sourcing climate risk, handling climate danger, and taking action. Check…
Climate Wise Communities and Simtable 3D bushfire simulator – East Killara and East Lindfield

Climate Wise Communities provides insight into what bushfires may have looked like if they were not contained, helping communities prepare for the future. It includes simulations of North Turramurra, Lane Cove National Park, East Killara and East Lindfield. They are viewable here:https://climatewisecommunities.com.au/simtable-bushfire-simulations/ North Turramurra: Lane Cove National Park: East Killara and East Lindfield:
Climate Wise Communities and Simtable 3D bushfire simulator – Lane Cove National Park

Climate Wise Communities provides insight into what bushfires may have looked like if they were not contained, helping communities prepare for the future. It includes simulations of North Turramurra, Lane Cove National Park, East Killara and East Lindfield. They are viewable here:https://climatewisecommunities.com.au/simtable-bushfire-simulations/ North Turramurra: Lane Cove National Park: East Killara and East Lindfield:
Climate Wise Communities and Simtable 3D bushfire simulator – North Turramurra

Climate Wise Communities provides insight into what bushfires may have looked like if they were not contained, helping communities prepare for the future. It includes simulations of North Turramurra, Lane Cove National Park, East Killara and East Lindfield. They are viewable here:https://climatewisecommunities.com.au/simtable-bushfire-simulations/ North Turramurra: Lane Cove National Park: East Killara and East Lindfield:
RetroSuburbia Bushfire Resilience Extract

This is an extract from the book RetroSuburbia: the downshifter’s guide to a resilient future, a 550 page richly illustrated manual that has become a best seller since its publication in February 2018. The production and availability of this extract as a free and sharable download is part of the response to the Australian bushfire…
Tenterfield Bushfire Learning Review: Summary Findings – Fire to Flourish

After the 2023 bushfires in Tenterfield, Fire to Flourish worked with community members to complete a post-bushfire review – an essential way to learn from a disaster about what worked, what didn’t and what can be improved. This Research Summary outlines the findings of the Review and presents five community-developed strategic priorities for future resilience…
Ku-ring-gai Simtable bushfire modelling tool

The NSW Government, in association with LGNSW, is providing funding assistance to NSW councils to address identified climate risks and increase resilience. Case studies and videos of completed projects demonstrating some of the great work being undertaken that can be applied to other councils can be found on LGNSW’s website (see the page Building Resistance…
Cobargo Community Bushfire Recovery Fund Independent Review – Fire to Flourish

This report documents and shares the story of the Cobargo Community Bushfire Recovery Fund (CCBRF), to reflect on its experience, celebrate its achievements, and to offer the lessons learned to other communities preparing for, or recovering from disasters. These lessons are also relevant to government agencies, philanthropic and not-for-profit organisations who wish to support communities…
Fire-smart farming: how the crops we plant could help reduce the risk of wildfires on agricultural landscapes

This article discusses the use of plants whose properties help mitigate fires. It finds many common crops and pastures are low in flammability and could be used to redesign agricultural landscapes to help suppress wildfires. Check out the full article here:https://theconversation.com/fire-smart-farming-how-the-crops-we-plant-could-help-reduce-the-risk-of-wildfires-on-agricultural-landscapes-215703
Be Ready Warrandyte – Living with Bushfire Risk

‘Be Ready Warrandyte’ began with the aim of getting most households in ‘Greater Warrandyte’ to have an effective fire plan. They adopted the tagline ‘Living with Bushfire Risk’ to emphasise that this was not a scare campaign but another rational insurance decision for people who choose to live in a bushfire prone area. Just as…
Jaithmathang TABOO Indigenous Organisation

Jaithmathang TABOO is an Indigenous organisation working on Country in North East Victoria to support regeneration in the landscape’s recovery following the 2019/20 bushfires, and to support cultural healing. They undertook a project, titled ‘Beginning the journey to cultural healing on Jaithmathang Country’, specifically aimed to build the capacity of the organisation by contributing to…
Harkaway Primary School Bushfire Safety Manifesto

Harkaway Primary School established a student-led bushfire safety committee and developed a ‘Bushfire Safety Manifesto’. Students and teachers were involved in the development and testing of the new program, which aims to support the delivery of place-based, participatory bushfire education in Victorian primary schools. Find out more here:https://www.naturalhazards.com.au/news-and-events/news-and-views/school-bushfire-initiative-wins-award
Landcare Green Fire-Walls Firewise Shelterbelt Design

This resource from Landcare provides an explainer and information about firewise trees and shelterbelts, and their abilities to create green fire-walls, preventing ember attack and reducing the impact of bushfires. Find out more here:https://lakesentrancelandcare.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/SHELTERBELT-design-Green-Fire-Walls.pdf
Cardinia Shire Council Bushfire Prepare website

Bushfire Prepare aims to reduce the risk and impact of bushfires through engagement of local private land holders in their own bushfire fuel management. It aims to focus on reduction of bushfire risk through the management of fuel works and other associated activities on private land, strengthen engagement and partnerships between Local Government, community and…
Cardinia Hills Youth Fire Readiness Program

The Cardinia Hills Youth Fire Readiness Project was a behavioural change program designed to enable peer led cultural change in the attitudes and readiness of local youth towards fire safety. It sought to build skills, values and capacity of young people to encourage a pro fire safety culture. The areas in which participants lived included…
Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust Country Fire Crew

Australia’s first all-Indigenous, all-female fire brigade is based in Lake Tyers, and plays a vital role in protecting the remote Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust community and its cultural heritage. The crew is a lifeline for the 200 residents of the isolated area, a self-governing community in Victoria’s far east. Find out more here:https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/keeping-lake-tyers-community-safe
Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network

FAC Net invests in people and in place-based efforts to change relationships with fire. Together, they support leaders and strategic action, develop tools, and create and share approaches to increase wildfire resilience. Improving fire management requires changing our culture, and FAC Net members are leading that change. Get in contact and check it out here:https://fireadaptednetwork.org/
The Current State & the Next Fire Years of Fire Ecology for Better Bushfire Management in Victoria

Dr Simon Watson (Principal Scientist, Forest and Fire Ecology for DEECA Victoria) speaks on an array of potential strategies for bushfire management that could deliver ecological outcomes. Successful bushfire management hinges on being able to estimate the outcomes of alternative strategies and measure their potential for delivering benefits. This presentation provides an overview of the…
Building an Earthship: an inspiring story of rebuilding after bushfires

After losing his home in a firestorm that destroyed most of Victoria’s Kinglake in February 2009, Daryl Taylor moved back into his property, having saved the 1940s hardwood cottage from demolition. He installed a new vegetable garden, re-established the orchard, brought home ducks and chooks, and began planting deciduous, fire-resistant plants. Learn more here:https://pipmagazine.com.au/building-an-earthship/
Renew – Beyond BAL Event Recordings

As part of ongoing work to support communities rebuilding after bushfire, Renew is showcasing homes that exemplify resilient design elements and building practices that extend the understanding of best practice beyond the complicated and variable (BAL) Bushfire Attack Level rating system. In the Beyond BAL event series, they’re speaking to the people who designed, built,…
Bushfire Resilience Inc – Resource Hub

At this link, you can find a wealth of resources provided by the BRI, including webinars that provide explainers on bushfire, storm or flood insurance, best practices for housing and bushfire risk reduction, and explainers for handling bushfire weather. Check it out here:https://bushfireresilience.org.au/resource-hub/
Developing Community Connections with Asset Mapping

This explainer resource teaches communities how to do Asset Mapping with Connectors – Step 2 in an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) process that helps people connect their strengths to create new opportunities for living well where periodic wildland fires are expected. Check it out here:https://fireadaptednetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ABCD-2-AssetMappingWithConnectors.pdf
Upper Beaconsfield Bushfire and Biodiversity Tool

A community led Safer Together funded project supported by local government, land and fire agencies, academics, environment and fire experts, demonstrating the shared responsibility between the community and agencies to understand and reduce bushfire risk on public and private land. This tool provides a link to a StoryMap, which will help understand the local area,…
Milkwood – Radical Hope: Bushfire Resources for a La Niña Year

Milkwood has provided a bushfire resource guide to help communities develop bushfire disaster readiness. Check it out here:https://www.milkwood.net/2020/11/16/radical-hope-bushfire-resources-for-a-la-nina-year/
Emergency Leaders for Climate Action – Australian Bushfire and Climate Plan

The Australian Bushfire and Climate Plan is the culmination of the 2020 National Bushfire and Climate Summit, which brought together hundreds of participants from across the country, and the world, to share their experiences, and to formulate recommendations to address the worsening risk of devastating bushfires fuelled by climate change. It details Response, Readiness and…
Prefab Housing Solutions for Bushfire & Disaster Relief

This study investigated the potential for prefabrication and advanced manufacture to be an alternative to traditional construction in providing both short-term and long-term housing solutions for those affected by bushfires and other disasters. The research led to understanding the complexities and barriers to designing, manufacturing and installing prefabricated modular homes and units to bushfire impacted…