Prescribed burning

The intentional use of fire arouses passions and conflicts, write Professor Mark Adams and Dr Peter Attiwill in Burning Issues, their book on the role of prescribed burning in the sustainability and management of Australia’s southern forests, to be launched on November 23.

“The forest manager faces an almost insurmountable problem: people, most of whom live in the cities, have an innate fear of fire," they write. "If fire is always seen as bad, how can it be used for good?”

Around 60 Bushfire CRC researchers, students and end-users gathered at University House at the Australian National University for the fifth meeting of the Research Advisory Forum at the end of last month.

Fire weather, risk management, community education, smoke behaviour and characteristics, shared responsibility, environmental impacts, greenhouse gas emissions, health and safety on the fireground – these were some of the topics under discussion at the forum in Canberra.