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Journal of the International Association of Wildland Fire
FOREWORD (Open Access)

Adaptive prescribed burning in Australia for the early 21st Century – context, status, challenges

Jeremy Russell-Smith A D E , Lachie McCaw B and Adam Leavesley C D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Darwin Centre for Bushfire Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia.

B Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Western Australia Government, WA 6983, Australia.

C Fire Management Unit, ACT Parks and Conservation Service, Australian Capital Territory Government, ACT, Australia.

D Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre, 340 Albert Road, East Melbourne, Vic. 3002, Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: jeremy.russell-smith@cdu.edu.au

International Journal of Wildland Fire 29(5) 305-313 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF20027
Submitted: 21 February 2020  Accepted: 18 March 2020   Published: 21 April 2020

Journal Compilation © IAWF 2020 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND

Abstract

Despite evident advances in knowledge and understanding concerning the application of prescribed burning for delivering benefits in wildfire control and a variety of sociocultural, economic and environmental outcomes, the practical application of prescribed burning in Australia is increasingly administratively and logistically complex, often controversial and climatically challenging. This series of papers does not address the merits or otherwise of prescribed burning – we accept the lessons from antiquity and recent history that the use of prescribed fire in contemporary Australia is essential for reducing, although not always being able to deliver on, wildfire risks and meeting a variety of societal and environmental needs. This special issue focuses on several fundamental adaptive management and monitoring questions: are we setting appropriate management targets? Can these targets and associated indicators be readily measured? Can we realistically deliver on those targets? And if so, what are the costs and/or trade-offs involved? The 10 solicited papers included here provide a sample illustration of the diversity of approaches currently being undertaken in different Australian regions to address complex adaptive management and monitoring challenges.

Additional keywords: adaptive management, adaptive monitoring, fire management, fire regimes.


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