$4 million for new bushfire research hub

The Hub is part of a five-year research partnership between the University of Wollongong (UoW) and the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH).

“The Bushfire Risk Management Research Hub will provide the NSW-centred scientific research we need to ensure the safety of our communities, property and the environment,” Ms Upton said.

“The Hub will host a team of world-class experts who will work with the communities most vulnerable to bushfires.”

Minister for Emergency Services Troy Grant welcomed the partnership and the Hub’s specialised focus on NSW bushfires.

“Each year bushfires pose significant risks to lives and property across our state. This Hub brings together academic expertise and practical knowledge from our firefighters to develop ways we can mitigate bushfires in the future,” Mr Grant said.

“What works for one area may not work for another, so it’s great that this research will look at local solutions across the state,” Mr Grant said.

Led by Professor Ross Bradstock, experts from the UoW, Western Sydney University, the University of NSW and the University of Tasmania will work together with OEH, the NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW Environment Protection Authority to deliver research to reduce bushfire risk to urban, rural and indigenous communities.

Some of the key research focuses are:

• Impacts and management of hazard reduction burns;
• Drivers of bushfire frequency and severity;
• Impacts on air quality; and
• Impacts on the environment and endangered plants and animals.

The Hub will be located in the Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires at UoW.