2 2014 Australia-New Zealand Study Tour
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
This page intentionally left blank. 2 2014 Australia-New Zealand Study Tour The 2014 North American Study Tour Group wish to thank those who hosted them in Australia and New Zealand. The group recognizes the tremendous time and effort that went into planning and executing a successful learning experience for the participants. There is a long list of people who made the tour successful and the group would very much like to thank each individually, however, there is not enough space for such an endeavor. The group would like to extend special thanks to their hosts Andrew Graystone and Murray Dudfield, as well as Tim McGuffog and the Forest Fire Management Group. 3 2014 Australia-New Zealand Study Tour This page intentionally left blank. 4 2014 Australia-New Zealand Study Tour Executive Summary The 2014 North American Study Tour to Australia and New Zealand occurred in April and May of 2014. The group was comprised of eleven Wildland Fire Managers from Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The group toured the Australian Capital Territory, the states of New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania, as well as the country of New Zealand. The tour included participation in the first International Symposium on Bushfire Management. This report provides recommendations regarding wildland and bushfire management to the Fire Management Agencies in North America, Australia, and New Zealand. The eight recommendations are directed to the participating agencies and focus on the following topics: Relationships – Maintain and develop relationships across all forums. Of special note is the relationship the group observed in Australia with the Aborigines, a new approach with special meaning. Engagement of Stakeholders – Focus on engagement with communities and stakeholders. Comprehensive Common Operating Picture – Develop and implement a common operating picture tool for use by all agencies. Landscape Approach – Develop a landscape management philosophy with wildfire management as the predominant driver in a strategic risk management approach. Shared Responsibility – Firefighting preparedness is a shared responsibility between the public, industry, and the appropriate governments. Future Research – Continue and enhance collaborative research initiatives worldwide. Forest Fire Management Groups leverage international support. Continuation of Forest Fire Management Group and the Fire Management Working Group of North America relationship – This is a unique relationship and hopefully will continue and expand to other countries. Continue the Annual Bushfire Symposium – The identification of rising trends and issues transcends North America, Australia and New Zealand. Nations from around the globe are facing similar and unique conditions that need to be shared. The passion which exists in all Fire Managers is a testament to the commitment and dedication the study tour group witnessed throughout the tour. A common theme found in North America, Australia and New Zealand is the ecological importance of bushfire on the landscape and the struggles with ensuring the safety of the public. It is the responsibility of Fire Managers to ensure: wildfire research continues and expands; we develop and maintain relationships; we find and develop opportunities to share information and research; we promote a shared responsibility approach; and we develop wildfire management in landscape approaches. Fire managers throughout the world face an ever difficult task in a dynamic political and natural environment. We’ve all watched as the challenges mount due to increasing fire activity, climate change, and urban sprawl into the wildlands. One of the ways we find ourselves combatting these challenges is working closer with our partners on a larger scale. The scale is beyond regional and has become more national for most countries involved in wildland fire management. The 2014 Fire Management Study Tour Group quickly recognized that there is another scale which we should be working towards, and that is internationally. There are many strides being made in this area, but much more effort can and should be made in order to take the next step toward more global fire management. 5 2014 Australia-New Zealand Study Tour This page intentionally left blank. 6 2014 Australia-New Zealand Study Tour Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Overview ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Study Tour Recommendations ........................................................................................................................................................ 9 1. Relationships ...................................................................................................................................................................10 2. Engagement of Stakeholders .........................................................................................................................................12 3. Comprehensive Common Operating Picture ..................................................................................................................14 4. Landscape Approach.......................................................................................................................................................16 5. Shared Responsibility......................................................................................................................................................19 6. Future Research ..............................................................................................................................................................20 7. FFMG and FMWG Relationship .......................................................................................................................................21 8. Annual International Symposium on Bushfire Management ........................................................................................22 Overview and Opening ...........................................................................................................................................................22 Rising Bushfire Trends ...........................................................................................................................................................23 Safety Culture .........................................................................................................................................................................23 Community Information and Messaging ...............................................................................................................................23 Research Priorities .................................................................................................................................................................24 Outcomes ...............................................................................................................................................................................24 Observations for the Forest Fire Management Group .................................................................................................................26 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................................................................27 Appendix A. The Study Tour ..........................................................................................................................................................31 1. The Itinerary .....................................................................................................................................................................31 2. Daily Journal ....................................................................................................................................................................34 April 29 ...................................................................................................................................................................................34 April 30 and May 1.................................................................................................................................................................37 May 1 and 2 ...........................................................................................................................................................................38 May 3 ......................................................................................................................................................................................39 May 4 ......................................................................................................................................................................................41 May 5 and 6 ...........................................................................................................................................................................42 May 7 ......................................................................................................................................................................................44 May 8 and 9 ...........................................................................................................................................................................46