Forum and conference programs and proceedings
2020 Fire Science Forum
November 2020 - Online
The forum delivery team setting up for the online 2020 Fire ForumThe Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium’s (QFBC) Annual Science Forum was scheduled for Tuesday 17 March 2020 at the State Library of Queensland. The event had been sold out (with 300 tickets sold) and plans had been made to livestream to a second auditorium to accommodate overflow. Unforuntately, due to COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings, the face-to-face Forum had to be cancelled and transformed into an online Fire Science Seminar Series, which was delivered across three weeks in November 2020.
The theme of the event was “Facing Fire in a Changing Climate” to reflect the changing face of fire in our landscape. We also took a closer look at the 19/20 bushfire season, and its significance and impacts upon our land and ecological values. As always, there was a focus on translating science into practice, with a number of presentations dedicated to local fire research and student projects.
The event featured a range of world-class speakers from a variety of stakeholder groups – including Traditional Owners, utility providers, NGOs, emergency services, Federal, State and Local Governments and agencies, and research institutions. The online program included 14 presentations delivered by 18 presenters, representing 11 organisations.
A total over 503 attendees joined us online across the three seminars.
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Download online seminar invitation |
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Download online seminar program |
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Download online seminar report |
Fire Science Seminar Series: Full Program
Seminar 1: Tuesday 10 November |
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9:30am - 11:00am | |||
Welcome, First Nations Acknowledgment & Introduction | |||
Opening Address Deputy Commissioner Mike Wassing AFSM, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services |
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Keynote Presentation Managing forest fuels and smoke, now and into the future Dr Owen Price (Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires, University of Wollongong) |
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Overview of the Queensland 2019 bushfire season Superintendent James Haig (Queensland Fire and Emergency Services) |
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Q & A Panel | |||
Changes to fire weather in Queensland Dr David Jones and Brenton Phillips (Bureau of Meteorology and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services) |
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2019 - 2020 fire season overview Nathan Connor (Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service) |
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JIGIJA Indigenous fire training: Indigenous fire knowledge and best practice contemporary fire management Murrandoo Yanner (Gangalidda and Garawa Native Title Aboriginal Corporation) |
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Q & A Panel & Close |
Seminar 2: Tuesday 17 November |
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9:30am - 11:00am | |||
Welcome, First Nations Acknowledgment & Introduction | |||
Opening Address Lee Johnson AFSM (Former Commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Emergency Leaders for Climate Action) |
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Keynote Presentation Climate change and prescribed burning: What do we know? Dr Hamish Clarke (Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires, University of Wollongong) |
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Q & A Panel | |||
Powerlink/BOM strategic partnership in a changing climate Steve Hadley and Steve Martin (Bureau of Meteorology and Powerlink) |
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Managing for a molecule: The potential market for carbon abatement and fire management Dr Cuong Tran and Dianna Virkki (Ten Rivers) |
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Defining inappropriate: Reviewing research available for estimating appropriate fire regimes for ecological communities Andy Wiechnik (University of Queensland and University of Sydney) |
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Q & A Panel & Close |
Seminar 3: Tuesday 24 November |
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9:30am - 11:00am | |||
Welcome, First Nations Acknowledgment & Introduction | |||
Welcome Stephen Robertson (Chairman, Healthy Land and Water) |
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Opening Address Julie McLellan (CEO, Healthy Land and Water) |
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Keynote Presentation Making fire ecology useful in the climate crisis Dr Annabel Smith (University of Queensland) |
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Keynote Presentation Changing fire regimes in the sub-tropics and the potential ecological responses Dr Garry Cook and Dr Anna Richards (CSIRO Land and Water) |
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Q & A Panel | |||
Bonye Dargan (Bunya Country) Cultural Fire – Reconnecting country through fire practice Paul Dawson and Damon Miri Anderson (Bunya Peoples’ Aboriginal Corporation) |
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Rapid ecological assessment: How did SEQ fare in the 2019 bushfire season? Shannon Mooney (Healthy Land and Water) |
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Saving an endangered bettong with fire Chris Pocknee (University of Queensland) |
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Q & A Panel & Close |
The Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium 2020 Fire Science Seminar Series would not have been possible without the continued support and generous contributions from our sponsors:
Gold Sponsors
- Fireland Consultancy
- Kestrel Meters
Bronze Sponsors
- Ausecology
- LRM Fire & Rescue
Promotional Sponsors
- NRM Jobs
- Environmental Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ)