^{Date Published: 17 Dec 2008 11:09am}

Planning for the new CRC for Fire – Environment and Society has increased in recent weeks with the announcement by the Australian Government of the new guidelines for the Cooperative Research Centre Program funding. 

The new guidelines have a different emphasis from previous ones, with the most significant change for the Bushfire CRC being the restoration of the “public good” criteria, which was removed under the previous Federal Government.

The new guidelines include the timeline of the next funding round. Applications for new CRC funding must be submitted by 20 March 2009 with successful proposals announced in mid-July 2009.

AFAC is coordinating the proposed CRC Fire – Environment and Society, which will build upon the achievements and directions established by the Bushfire CRC. All AFAC partners have been included in discussions on how their agency can get involved with the new CRC and provide the necessary support to make the proposal successful.

This consultation has led to formation of a research program based around the following key issues:

• climate change and drought
• demographic changes
• Workplace health and safety
• Changing technologies
• Legislation and Policy

The key research themes are:
Risk Assessment - an integrated decision support tool for optimising risk for the fire industry
 
Living with the Threat of Fire in a Changing World - enhancing the community’s ability to live with the threat of fire in an environment of significant global change.
 
The Role of People, Technology and Systems in Managing Fire - ensuring the right people, equipment and systems are available at the right place at the right time.
 
Fire’s Future Role in Delivering Sustainable Ecosystems and Enhanced Environments - environmentally sustainable solutions for industry, fire- and land-management.
 
Education - skilled people for the fire industry.
 
Knowledge Management and Research Adoption - maximisation of benefits from research.
 
AFAC is now talking to potential partners from industries either related to fire or subject to the impacts of fire including agriculture, water authorities, power utilities, local government and insurance.
 
The Bushfire CRC is in its sixth of seven years of funded research with its focus now mostly directed to the adoption of the research outputs into the fire and land management agencies.
 

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