- Extreme Wildfire
Extreme wildfires are difficult to predict and behave erratically. Predicting the physical processes driving fire-spread is key to fire readiness. Without that knowledge it is not possible to develop effective tools and strategies to keep firefighters and communities safe.
The Extreme Wildfire Programme aims to increase the understanding of wildfire spread and extreme fire behaviour to improve fire prediction and reduce fire hazards. Our research will improve the preparedness of New Zealanders (and address the government investment priorities for the environment) to ensure that extreme wildfire occurrence is not a surprise.
Scion’s Fire and Atmospheric Science Team (FAST) is part of a major international project to develop and test a new theory of fire spread. At the same time the group works closely with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) to develop and operationalise tools to help reduce fire risk and mitigate the damage done by wildfire outbreaks when they do occur.
The current Extreme Wildfire Research Programme is the second major five-year research programme (2021-2026) the group has undertaken.
The programme is managed by Scion.
Programme manager: Shana Gross
- Scion’s recent research burns resulted in a world-first by creating fire-whirls in experimental field conditions
- Funders are the MBIE Endeavour Fund and the Forest Growers Levy Trust
- Programme funding: $11.25 million MBIE Endeavour Fund, Scion’s Strategic Science Investment Fund $2 million, Forest Growers Levy Trust $325,000
- Collaborators include:
- University of Canterbury
- US Forest Service
- US National Centre for Atmospheric Research
- Hexion
- Fire and Emergency NZ
- Department of Conservation
- NZ Defence Force
- GNS Science
- RMIT University
- San Jose State University
- Lincoln University
- CSIRO
- Arctic University of Norway
- Leibniz University of Hanover
- Fullbright Fellowship
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
- Te Tira Whakamataki
- FENZ Iwi Group
- Validating the new global convection fire spread theory: understanding how convection is coupled to atmospheric conditions to drive transitions to increasingly extreme fire behaviour.
- Safeguarding indigenous forests from wildfire risk and integrating Mātauranga Māori approaches: increasing understanding of wildfire risk in indigenous forests by flammability modelling and mapping. Also, integrating Mātauranga Māori and indigenous approaches around wildfire science knowledge to support decision making for the protection of the ngahere.
- Improving wildfire prediction in the rural-urban interface: improving the legislative frameworks around planning and preparedness; understanding constraints and barriers to enable improved wildfire preparedness from household to national scales. Researching how decisions throughout planning, design and construction lead to homes being built with either higher or lower wildfire resilience.
- Identifying and developing smart tools: responding to industry-identified needs for new tools and technology to assist in fire prediction, prevention, and management.
Explore the Extreme Wildfire Research Programme workstreams:
Extreme Wildfire News
Building for a wildfire future
As part of Scion’s five-year Extreme Wildfire research programme, social scientists are investigating how decisions throughout planning, design and construction lead to homes being built
New slash sensor operational
A sensor which monitors temperature in slash piles has had extensive testing in forest environments to make it more robust and reliable. The sensor delivers
Experimental burns a world-first
Two new series of extreme wildfire burns was completed near Twizel in autumn 2023, as part of Scion’s Extreme Fire research programme. The burns follow
Related searchable documents and reports
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