Activity 1 – Fire in your community

Students will research background information on their local area to inform their bushfire management plan map in Activity 2. 

Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Research

Students can break into groups to research one subheading and compile information as a class. Subheadings include: 

• General overview of area – region, population, urban or rural, plantations, national parks, etc. 

• Climate – growing season, rainfall, length of hot dry weather, lightning 

• Topography – flat, undulating, mountainous, river systems 

• Bushfire fuels – vegetation types, how much area they cover, how dense are they? 

• Assets – town sites, construction areas, bridges, other infrastructure, historical sites, Aboriginal cultural sites, bush areas of high conservation value 

• Access – description of type and quality of roads – e.g. one-way, two-way, gravel, 4WD only. Note any barriers, e.g. swamps, rivers, sand ridges 

• Water supply – both domestic and external – hydrants, rivers, tanks, bores. 

Step 2: Traditional Fire Knowledge

Research local traditional fire knowledge if available. The best place would be to ask a local Aboriginal corporation or other organisation for assistance. 

Step 3: Inquiry-based question discussion

1. Based on this information, discuss the following inquiry-based questions: 

• When would be the safest time of year to do burning, or times of year or particular conditions on a daily basis that should be avoided? 

• What local groups are responsible for fire management – Country Fire Service, State Emergency Services, council, rangers, landholders etc, or a combination of these? What kind of activities do they do? 

• How could you involve multiple groups in working together to make a plan to manage fire together? 

• Discuss personal experiences: have you ever experienced a big fire, does your family have a bushfire plan at home?