Two years on from the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, this Conversation article analyses the current state of fire management and concludes only a multitude of approaches can save Australia from ever increasing bush fire risk.
The article is based on their report to the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, and the reports by researchers from the NSW Bushfire Risk Management Research Hub, and research of bushfire scholars Ross Bradstock, Owen Price, David Bowman, Vanessa Cavanagh, David Keith, Matthias Boer, Hamish Clarke, Trent Penman, Josh Whittaker.
Prescribed burning is examined and found to be successful in its current state, but not up to the job of being the sole strategy for protecting against high-severity fires.
Indigenous and socially disadvantaged groups were found to be the most affected by the 2019-20 fires, with the greatest losses of homes, income and infrastructure.
Community-led awareness and preparedness programs are highlighted as a key strategy for living with fire into the future.
