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Patterns and Processes of Landscape Fire (FRST90025)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | February |
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Fees | Look up fees |
The course covers the fundamentals of fire behaviour and the key drivers. Students will examine the importance of the key factors affecting fire behaviour including fuels, weather, topography and ignitions. Methodologies for measuring fuels, fuel moisture, and weather will be examined through theoretical and practical approaches. Using these skills, students will learn computer and manual approaches for predicting the extent and intensity of landscape fires in a range of ecosystems. Students will apply the knowledge of fire patterns to examine how prescribed burning might be used for land management and the fundamentals of wildfire suppression strategies and tactics. Finally, we will assess the potential changes to fire patterns under global climate change.
Intended learning outcomes
By the end of the subject students should have:
- An understanding the importance of fuel composition and structure on fire behaviour. In particular, an understanding of the importance of fuel moisture, composition, accumulation, decomposition and spatial distribution.
- An understand the fundamentals of fire behaviour ‐ pyrolysis, combustion, and heat transfer
- Experience in the use of fire behaviour prediction using manual methods and models linked to Geographic Information Systems.
- Experience in the use of fire behaviour prediction using manual methods and models linked to Geographic Information Systems.
- Knowledge of the effects of climate and weather patterns on fire occurrence and behaviour.
- Experience using weather observations and forecasts to predict fire behaviour.
- Critical analysis of the potential changes to fire regimes under future climate scenarios.
Generic skills
Highly developed written communication skills to allow informed dialogue with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
February
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Five small online "quizzes" (thought-out the intensive period, equivalent to 750 words) – 15%,
| From Week 1 to Week 2 | 15% |
A short group presentation of a scientific paper (equivalent to 250 words) – 5% during the intensive period.
| From Week 1 to Week 2 | 5% |
Fire prediction assignment (2000 words) - 40% due 3 weeks after the intensive subject.
| During the assessment period | 40% |
Fire research assignment (2000 words) – 40% due 7 weeks after the intensive subject.
| During the assessment period | 40% |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- February
Principal coordinator Trent Penman Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 70 hours – Week 1 ‐ 35 hour field trip (lectures, workshop, laboratory, forest practicals), Week 2 ‐ 26 hours (lectures, workshops or equivalent), 9 hours (tutorials/computer laboratory). Total time commitment 170 hours Pre teaching start date 24 January 2020 Pre teaching requirements 2 weeks prior to the subject commencing. Teaching period 10 February 2020 to 21 February 2020 Last self-enrol date 27 January 2020 Census date 14 February 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 13 March 2020 Assessment period ends 10 April 2020
Time commitment details
170 hours.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Recommended texts and other resources
Bradstock RA, Gill AM, Williams RJ (2012) 'Flammable Australia: Fire Regimes, Biodiversity and Ecosystems in a Changing World.' (CSIRO publishing: Collingwood, VIC, Australia)
Cheney NP, Sullivan AL (1997) 'Grassfires: Fuel, Weather and Fire Behaviour.' (CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood, Victoria)
Cruz MG, Gould JS, Alexander ME, Sullivan AL, McCaw WL, Matthews S (2015) 'A guide to rate of fire spread models for Australian vegetation.' (Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council Limited and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation)
- Subject notes
This subject can be taken as part of the Graduate Certificate in Bushfire Planning and Management.
The subject involves a week long field trip to the Creswick campus where field and laboratory studies will be undertaken. Students will be expected to make their own way to Creswick for a 9am start on day 1 of the subject. Accommodation is available at the University of Melbourne campus. Students will be asked to contribute to travel, accommodation and food expenses while in the field of week 1.
- Incidental costs
Students will be asked to contribute to travel, accommodation and food expenses while in the field.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022