BUSHFIRE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

Plans for a Bushfire Centre of Excellence in WA began after the Special Inquiry into the January 2016 Waroona Fire (Ferguson Report). The report recommended the WA State Government create a rural fire function (Rural Fire Division) to enhance the capability for rural fire management and bushfire risk management. It also recommended that this function would establish a Centre for fire management.

In 2017, the concept of a Bushfire Centre of Excellence was discussed at the Bushfire Mitigation Summit and the inaugural Western Australian Prescribed Burning Forum. It was agreed that creating and capturing learnings through a Centre of Excellence would build bushfire capability for the future.

In 2018, the State Government announced a rural fire reform package in response to the Ferguson Report recommendations. Changes included the establishment of a Rural Fire Division within the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) as well as the establishment of a Bushfire Centre of Excellence.

Following the announcement, DFES consulted with more than 200 stakeholders through workshops, presentations and forums. This informed the Bushfire Centre of Excellence’s key functions, service delivery and guiding principles.

In March 2019, the Shire of Murray was selected as the preferred Centre location. The decision was made following an extensive Request for Proposal process where local governments across the State could formally express their interest.

The Bushfire Centre of Excellence is committed to gathering traditional and cultural knowledge about fire practices. To achieve this, the Centre has established a Cultural Fire Program which is considering how we can better link contemporary fire management with traditional fire practices.

The Cultural Fire Program will:

• Work with partners to further develop stakeholder relationships and strengthen existing local skills and knowledge;
• Support knowledge sharing opportunities and cultural change;
• Identify traditional fire knowledge and best practice; and
• Work with research institutions and other agencies to consolidate traditional fire methods to create a hybrid of these principles.

Across WA, a mixture of traditional and contemporary practices are being used with great success. The intent of the Cultural Fire Program is to support the development, implementation, coordination and promotion of both existing and future programs.