This presentation by Stuart Midgley of the NSW Rural Fire Service gives a brief overview of the 2016/2017 fire season and presents some of the initiatives and projects that the RFS is pursuing with their partner agencies. Presentation from Nature Conservation Council of NSW 2017 Bushfire Conference - Fire, Fauna & Ferals: from backyards to bush.

1. 11th Biennial NCC Bushfire Conference
30-31 May 2017
MINIMISING THE IMPACT OF BUSH FIRE ON
OUR COMMUNITIES AND ENVIRONMENT
Stuart Midgley, Acting Executive Director Operations

2. “The heatwave conditions will strengthen over the weekend... We are likely to see broad
areas under Severe and Extreme fire danger ratings. On Sunday, Catastrophic conditions
will extend from the Central West, across the tablelands to the Hunter region and out to
the coast.” – Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons
10 February 2017
Image: Michelle Barton, Crudine Rd Fire, Ilford 14/02/2017

3. Statistics from previous years
2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16
Total Bush/ grass
fires
7,474 8,032 7,837* 7,686*
Wildfire burnt area
(ha)
1.4 M 164,054** 183,677 87,810
Total annual hazard
reduction area
completed (ha)
281,492.19 157,222.46 152,157.44 285,401.13
*Refers to the incidents in which NSW RFS responded.
** Area burnt between 13-26 October 2013.

4. 2016-17 fire season
Operational snapshot 1 July – 31 March
› Total bush/grass fires 11,403
› Total incidents attended 19,755
› Burnt area 267,156 hectares
› Total fire bans 27
› Section 44 declarations 25
› Aircraft taskings 1,474
› Firefighter injuries 280
› Firefighter fatalities 1
› Emergency Alert messages sent 2,311,052
› Calls to 1800 NSW RFS 23,777

5. 2016-17 fire season
Damages 1 July – 31 March
› Houses destroyed 65
› Houses damaged 38
› Facilities destroyed 2
› Facilities damaged 5
› Outbuildings destroyed 243
› Outbuildings damaged 103
Agricultural losses February only
› Estimated value $96 million
› Cattle 531
› Sheep and goats 4,185
› Horses 4
› Dogs and cats 26
› Poultry 36
› Fencing 7,000 kilometres

6. › NarCliM
projections
› Number of days
with severe fire
danger is
projected to
increase in
summer and
spring.
Looking ahead…

7. Community Engagement: Behavioural Insights
› BI Team engaged by RFS
› Behavioural insights are empirical findings about human
behaviours
› They help us understand how people act and make decisions
› Nudging – to promote a more preferred behaviour
› Tailored ‘interventions’ can then be tested and effectiveness of
the behaviour change is measured
= more effective public policy

9. Mitigation/ operational capability
› Fire Trails
› Night Operations
› Aviation
› Base camp resources

10. Fire behaviour – tactical tools
› Extreme Weather Project
› Capability to conduct weather balloon
observations
› Assist in detection of conditions
favourable to the development of fire-
thunderstorms
› Smoke dispersion modeling
› enhance our capability to provide
predictions of smoke trajectory
(direction) and density from either a
prescribed burn or wildfire.

11. Fire behaviour – investing in strategic research
› National Fire Danger Rating System
› Fire Danger rating prototype
› Weather reanalysis
› Constructing a high res weather
dataset for the past 25 years
› A baseline for climate change
studies
› National fuel classification system
› Tailored floristic classifications for
understanding fire behaviour and
regimes
Image: Air temperature (Kelvin) for a day in January 2013 from the
reanalysis project

12. Environmental Initiatives - Hotspots
› 12 workshops delivered p/a
› Trial of an online mapping tool
complete
› Fire and Weeds scientific
review and landholder booklet
› Collaboration with Indigenous
People’s
› Fire-fighter training to
complement Hotspots
workshop delivery
Mt Mitchell Hotspots
w/ Banbai rangers

13. › Wallarah Hazard Reduction (32 ha).
› Protecting the Critically Endangered Wyong
Sun Orchid.
› Next Gen Risk Plans - using fire behaviour
simulators to trial options for hazard reduction
to offer greater protection to Koala and human
assets.
› Current trial in Numeralla.
Crew Leader Jessica Farlow, Ourimbah Brigade
Image: R. Peacock
Environmental Initiatives
Image: J. Cronan
The Canberra Times

14. Policy review › Incorporating lessons learnt from
major bush fire events such as
the 2009 Victorian Black
Saturday fires, and changes to
building code and construction
standards.
Submissions:
› Online: https://form.jotform.co/N
SWRFS/pbp-public-submission
› See www.rfs.nsw.gov.au for
more information
› Closing date: COB 25 June 2017

15. Submissions:
› Online: https://form.jotform.co/NSWRFS/BFEAC
› See www.rfs.nsw.gov.au for more information
› Closing date: COB 25 June 2017
Policy review

16. Partnerships to benefit our community and environment
› Research
› University of Wollongong
› Bushfire & Natural Hazards CRC
› Behavioural Insights Unit (Nudge Unit)
› Communities
› Schools
› Nature Conservation Council