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Patterns and Processes of Landscape Fire (FRST90025)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Online
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable (login required)(opens in new window)
Contact information
Overview
| Availability | February - Online |
|---|---|
| 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. 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 (fuel moisture, composition, accumulation, decomposition and spatial distributionon) on fire behaviour.
- 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.
- 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
In addition to learning specific skills that will assist students in their future careers in science, they will have the opportunity to develop generic skills that will assist them in any future career path. These include:
- Highly developed written communication skills to allow informed dialogue with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community;
- An ability to derive, interpret and analyse social, technical or economic information from primary and other sources;
- Highly developed computer-based skills to allow for effective on-line learning and communication;
- Ability to plan work, use time effectively and manage small projects.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
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: 31 January 2024
Assessment
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: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- February - Online
Coordinators Trent Penman and Jane Cawson Mode of delivery Online Contact hours Direct contact will be 4 hours per week, with ~13 hours of asynchronous material per week. Total subject time will remain the same with 70 hours delivered over the four weeks. Total time commitment 170 hours Pre teaching start date 19 January 2024 Pre teaching requirements 2 weeks prior to the subject commencing pre - reading will be required. Teaching period 5 February 2024 to 1 March 2024 Last self-enrol date 22 January 2024 Census date 9 February 2024 Last date to withdraw without fail 15 March 2024 Assessment period ends 19 April 2024
Time commitment details
100 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
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. This subject involves an optional one-day field trip during the teaching period.
- 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: 31 January 2024