Title: Incorporating Real Time Simulation of Bushfires into the FireWatch Operational

Environment

Authors: Brendon McAtee, George Milne, Joel Kelso, Gerrit van Burgel, Bonnie James,
Matthew Adams, Sean Macfarlane.

Abstract:

The WA Government’s FireWatch service has been using satellite remote sensing to monitor
bushfires across all of Australia for 12 years and is currently used by emergency services
agencies in WA, NT, SA and Qld.

Firewatch is operated by the Western Australian Land Information Authority (Landgate)

and is used by emergency services agencies to improve bushfire management, detection
and response. FireWatch delivers critical bushfire information via the internet to emergency
services agencies and members of the public across Australia, including:
• detection of fire hotspots
• monitoring the spread of bushfires
• monitoring lightning strikes
• annual burnt area mapping across Australia
• a curing index.

A new project funded under the Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital
Economy through the Digital Regions Initiative is set to
expand the functionality of FireWatch to deliver more essential bushfire information
through incorporation of a Bushfire Simulator which will :

o simulate and predict the spread of current bushfires

o generate bushfire simulation Maps
o permit rapid modelling and testing of a range of bushfire fighting techniques (such as fire
break location and design and back burning) against a current fire by running the Bushfire
Simulator via the FireWatch website.
o permit modelling of preventative bushfire management proactices (fire breaks, controlled
burning, etc) to assess the effectiveness of those interventions in protecting property or
infrastructure in any chosen location in Australia.
o allow a bushfire risk assessment on all current and future infrastructure online
o facilitate assessment of what changes to the location and layout of the infrastructure
could be made to reduce the bushfire risk.

This presentation will summarise FireWatch as it currently exists, the vision for its expansion
and how it will utilise the new National Broadband Network for the benefit of regional and
remote communities.