Description

In southern Australia, shrubby heath vegetation together with woodlands dominated by multistemmed eucalypts (mallee) comprise areas of native vegetation with important biodiversity values. These vegetation types occur in semiarid and mediterranean climates and can experience large frequent fires. This study is investigating changes in the fuel complex with time, fuel moisture dynamics, vertical wind profile characteristics, fire propagation thresholds, rates of spread, and flame characteristics. The project is being conducted at Ngarkat Conservation Park in South Australia with data coming from experimental and prescribed burns conducted under a range of weather conditions. The final output of this project will be a prescribed burning guide to assist land management agencies to plan and safely conduct effective hazard reduction and ecological management burns in mallee and heath fuel types.