Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, Media Release, 13 July 2021

Cultural burning doesn’t just occur in northern Australia. Across southern Australia, many Indigenous people are practicing and promoting cultural fire management, yet the emergency management sector has limited experience in collaborating with them on fire management. 

This research begins to address this gap. Researchers investigated this intercultural context, with a focus on cultural burning in southern Australia, to assess existing engagements and provide insights and recommendations about strengthening practice, policy, administration and regulation. This work was a partnership between the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, Western Sydney University, Deakin University, fire and land management agencies, and many Indigenous representatives and organisations. 

Hazard Note 101 summarises the findings, recommendations and future direction of this research. Download Hazard Note 101 at bnhcrc.com.au.

To learn more about this project and to listen to industry insights from a range of practitioners in cultural fire and the emergency management sector, watch this video.