A new project on bushfire risk reduction efficiency for the Country Fire Authority (CFA) is now open for Expressions of Interest. This is the first project of a new research partnership between Natural Hazards Research Australia and CFA to undertake specific research for CFA needs.
The Effectiveness of bushfire risk reduction project will be conducted in three stages to ensure that appropriate indicators of bushfire risk reduction are identified and prioritised for application. The successful research team will:
- undertake a systematic review of bushfire impacts, mitigation costs, mitigation effectiveness and the interactions between them
- undertake an analysis of fire agencies’ data systems and practices to document them and describe the information that is routinely collected on fire and mitigation activity costs, benefits and impacts
- produce a report that presents current and potential values and metrics used by agencies to measure the effectiveness of bushfire mitigation activities.
This project builds on existing research conducted on community values and indicators of the effectiveness of bushfire risk management in reducing risk to these values. The outcomes of this project will support the strategic pathway of the Joint Research Strategy in terms of 'increased sector capability in social and behavioural science research and practice to better understand community behaviours and values’, as well as providing approaches that may inform improved risk modelling. This project will show the interrelation between the different activities and present examples of how they work together to reduce bushfire risk.
Where this research fits
This project will be conducted specifically for CFA and does not form part of Natural Hazards Research Australia’s nationally funded core projects. This new partnership between Natural Hazards Research Australia and CFA is similar to the commissioned research conducted for the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (Vic) by both the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC and the Bushfire CRC.
Submitting a proposal
Project teams responding to this call for Expressions of Interest are required to submit their response that includes a project proposal of up to eight pages that clearly addresses the requirements of the specifications set out in the EOI. More details can be found in the below PDF.
An online briefing will be held on Thursday 29 September at 9.30am AEDT to run through the details of the project and answer any questions. Register now.
EOI proposals are due by 11:59pm 10 October to research@naturalhazards.com.au. Successful applicants will be notified by 7 November.