All things bushfire in focus at Sydney conference

With live streamed shared keynotes and panels, the 6th International Fire Behaviour and Fuels Conference is not one to be missed this week.  

Taking place in Sydney from 30 April until 2 May, as well as concurrently in Marseille (France) and Albuquerque (United States), this International Association of Wildland Fire conference will feature keynotes streamed live across all three locations, showcase the latest in research, and share lessons learned through experience.  

More than 90 speakers will share their expertise in Sydney alone at the International Convention Centre, with topics such as extreme bushfire behaviour, risk modelling, prescribed burning, fire weather and Indigenous burning.

President of the International Association of Wildland Fire, Alen Slijepcevic, said that the conference is an important learning opportunity for the global fire community.

“Fire management is only going to become more important as our population grows. With our climate warming we know that we are going to have bad bushfire days more often in the future, and that our windows for safely conducting prescribed burning will be reduced.

“At the Fire Behaviour and Fuels Conference 2019 we will hear from fire managers, land managers, meteorologists, community engagement experts and scientists about the latest techniques and research results to manage fire and our land safely. The areas we work in are only growing more complicated and we need to continue to learn to keen communities safe.

“The live streaming of the conference between Sydney, Marseille and Albuquerque highlights the truly global connectedness that we have in fire management,” Mr Slijepcevic said.

A feature of the conference will be a panel showcasing women in fire management, with leading women in the field sharing their stories about their career and how women can thrive in bushfire and land management. Bronnie Mackintosh (Fire and Rescue NSW), Dr Mika Peace (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC & the Bureau of Meteorology), Erika Lind (Forest Fire Management Victoria) and Allison Donovan (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Western Australia) will join peers streamed live in Albuquerque in this conference highlight.

The 6th International Fire Behaviour and Fuels Conference is run by the International Association of Wildland Fire, with support in Sydney from the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, New South Wales Rural Fire Service and the Bureau of Meteorology.

Get all the conference details, including the program, at http://sydney.firebehaviorandfuelsconference.com/

You can follow the conference on social media using the hashtag #2019FBF, as well as @IAWF.

For media, including speaker interviews, contact Nathan Maddock on +61 439 377 080 or email nathan.maddock@bnhcrc.com.au