Bushfire & Climate (FRST90025)

Intended learning outcomes

By the end of the subject students should:

• Have an understanding of the importance of fuel characteristics including composition and structure on forest fire behaviour. In particular, an understanding of the importance of fuel moisture, fuel availability, fine fuels, live fuels, coarse fuels, fuel accumulation and decomposition processes and assessment and mapping of fuels.
• Have an understanding of the fundamentals of fire behaviour, in particular, the processes of pyrolysis, combustion, and heat transfer. At a broader level, the effects of fuel, weather, topography, fire scale, and spotting on fire behaviour, how to use fire behaviour prediction models, computer based models and the use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to make fire behaviour predictions.
• Have an understanding of the effects of climate and weather patterns on fire occurrence and behaviour. Learn how to use weather observations and forecasts to predict fire behaviour.
• Have a knowledge of the science of prescribed burning including the importance of lighting patterns, fuel moisture, ignition technologies, and fire impacts.
• Have an understanding of fire suppression strategies, fire suppression tactics, suppression tools and incident control structures.