Measuring bushfire fuels is important to many different people for so many different reasons;

Calculating the likely success of first attack; prioritising fuel reduction treatments; figuring out optimum fire frequency; calculating fuel accumulation rates; assessing risks and hazards; measuring carbon release; estimating smoke production (to name a few).

This project poses questions to those interested in fire fuels: Why collect fuels data? What do we seek to learn from fuels data? Should we collect fuels data across Australia in a uniform way? How would we store the information? What are the gaps in the knowledge about fuels? and more...

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Thank You!


Well, I have arrived home after a relaxing two weeks break in Alaska, catching up with writing and a little socialising with friends. The trip was an absolutely incredible experience: from the wonderfully knowledgeable and generous people I met, to the most astonishing natural wonders and the spectacular countryside I was fortunate enough to visit in the US and Canada.

I’d like to thank everyone who helped make this trip such a success for their efforts, especially those I met who gave me their valuable time to teach me about their part of the world when it comes to examining fire fuels. 

One observation I‘d like to make is that the itinerary turned out so remarkably well, completely by accident, serendipitously, if you will. At each place I learned things that were a primer for the next stop, and the journey built like a jigsaw, with each of the pieces of the puzzle being contributed by the people I spent time with.

I’d like to thank the Churchill Trust too, for placing their confidence in me to make a worthwhile expedition.  It was most instructive trip and I am confident I have developed some clear ideas to contribute, from a practitioner’s point of view, to an Australian approach to fuels.

Thanks go to Eric for his always unwavering support and assistance. Thanks to Glenda as my brilliant personal travel agent. Thanks to Doug for his hospitality and solicitude when I most needed it.

This week I am off to the Australiasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) Conference in Sydney to learn about the latest about fire at home.

Then to finalise my report.
Watch this space! 

A black bear (not Smokey) in urban Anchorage!
Thank you especially to Scott, Alison, Chris, Phill, Alan, Dan, Chris, Tony, Karen, Christy, Windy, Eric, Li, Christina, Linda, Wes, Scott, Celeste, Ed, Bucky, Corey, Dianne, Ron, Roger, Bob, Lucrecia, Jon, Susan, Doug, Tom, Ross, Dick, Jeremy, Nate, Rich, Bill, Deb, Jim, Matt, Duncan, Pam, Jane, Faith Anne, LeWen, Carl, Eric, Rob, Dave and Jane. 
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