International awards for CRC experts

A Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC researcher and a CRC end-user have been recognised with prestigious awards by the International Association of Wildland Fire.

Early Career Award in Fire Science – Dr Alexander Filkov

Dr Alex Filkov, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne and researcher for the Threshold conditions for extreme fire behaviour project, was awarded the 2020 Early Career Award in Fire Science for his CRC research which covers a wide range of fire behaviour topics including research on the ignition and combustion of fuels, the spread of wildfire and transition mechanisms to the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), and the performance of structural materials under different fire conditions.

Since his arrival in Australia in 2016 from Russia, Dr Filkov has been working on understanding the mechanisms that drive dynamic behaviour in wildland and structural fires through his CRC project. His major findings and results include, but are not limited to:

• the recommended list of variables for routine collection during bushfires, which will result in improved data collection standards and methodologies
• prioritising extreme fire behaviours for future studies
• testing UAV technologies for measuring fire behaviour in the field and potential application for fire management
• the development of a new system for a better representation of the dynamic heat fluxes of real fires under laboratory conditions
• proposal of a new method for testing the fire performance of structural materials at small scales as a preliminary basis for the development of an intermediate fire test method
• the development of a model for predicting the likelihood and extent of crown fires using spatially derived environmental predictors and a range of weather measurements
• understanding flammability thresholds in Australian forests.

These studies involved a number of industry partners including the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, the Bureau of Meteorology, Country Fire Authority, NSW Rural Fire Service and the NT Fire and Rescue Service. Dr Filkov’s international reputation and broad network of peers have allowed him to organise and participate in several large field experiments on forest and grass fires not just locally, but also in Russia and the United States. The results from his research will improve forest fire prediction, transition to WUI areas and the risk assessment process.

Firebreak Award for Excellence in Wildland Fire Management – Neil Cooper

The 2020 Firebreak Award for Excellence in Wildland Fire Management was awarded to Neil Cooper, Manager of Fire Management at ACT Parks and Conservation Service and lead end-user for the Mapping bushfire hazard and impacts project. Neil has been a lead end-user since the inception of the project and was also involved in the Bushfire CRC as the lead end-user of the Northern fire mapping project.

Neil has made a defining contribution to modern fire management in the ACT and his influence extends across the globe. Neil commenced firefighting in 1983 with the ACT Bushfire Service and has remained actively involved. Over the past 36 years, he has held every position from basic firefighter through to Group Captain within the ACT Rural Fire Service. In 1999, Neil was appointed manager of all fire related activities within ACT Forests and in 2006 he was appointed Director of the newly formed ACT Fire Management Unit (FMU). The FMU was responsible for managing fire across 80% of the ACT including a large wildland-urban interface, fire-prone nature reserves within the urban area and steep, rugged alpine terrain of the Territory’s water catchment. Neil developed the ACT fire program based on the latest science, technology, training and safety knowledge.

Neil is a member of the AFAC National Council and represents the interests of all land management agencies from across Australia and New Zealand in their fire management functions within the Australasia’s industry peak body. He is also Chair of the Forest Fire Management Group which reports to the Council of Australian Governments and is a founding member of the National Burning Project Executive Committee – a multi-million dollar project that delivers operational outcomes that provide consistency for the fire industry across Australia. Neil has also contributed to international firefighting deployments to North America in 2006 as Branch Director, in 2008 as Liaison Officer, and in 2017 as International Liaison Officer.

The International Association of Wildland Fire was formed to promote a better understanding of wildland fire and builds on the belief that an understanding of this dynamic natural force is vital for natural resource management, for firefighter safety, and for harmonious interaction between people and their environment. The Association is dedicated to communicating with the entire wildland fire community and providing global linkage for people with shared interest in wildland fire and comprehensive fire management.

Congratulations to Dr Alex Filkov and Neil Cooper on the recognition and acknowledgement of their work in the International Association of Wildland Fire 2020 Awards. Read more about the awards here.