Fire risk in Tasmania’s World Heritage Area

The Tasmanian Government recently announced the launch of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Bushfire and Climate Change Research Project to examine how the state’s fire fighting techniques can be strengthened.

This project is being led by ACECRC Adjunct Professor Dr Tony Press, and is investigating:

• the impact of climate change on future bushfire risk in Tasmania’s wilderness areas; and
• determining appropriate firefighting responses.

The ACECRC is contributing to this project by undertaking research into how climate change, specifically future fire danger and other variables, will impact on future bushfire risk in Tasmania’s wilderness areas. It will also identify and address information gaps to strengthen our ability to prepare for, and respond to, bushfires in these areas.

More than 300 fires burned and 120,000 hectares of land was destroyed, when fires ravaged the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area in the summer of 2016. The state saw 15 total fire ban days – five more than any other  year.