Space assets and technology for bushfire management

The financial, emotional, and ecological impacts of bushfires can be devastating. This report was prepared by the participants of the Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program 2021 in response to the topic: “How space assets and technologies can be applied to better predict and mitigate bushfires and their impacts.” To effectively reach the diverse set of stakeholders impacted by bushfires, Communication was identified as a key enabler central to any examination of the topic. The three pillars “predict”, “mitigate” and “communicate” were identified to frame the task at hand. Combining the diverse skills and experience of the class participants with the interdisciplinary knowledge gained from the seminars, distinguished lectures, and workshops during the SHSSP21 program, participants conducted a literature review and our own research focused across the three pillars. With specific reference to the 2019-20 Australian fire season, we looked at the current state of the art, key challenges, and how bushfires can be better predicted and mitigated in the future. Comparing this to the future desired state, we identified gaps for each of the three domains, and worked across teams to reach consensus on a list of recommendations. Several of these recommendations were derived independently by two or more of the three groups, highlighting the importance of a holistic and collaborative approach. The report details a number of recommendations arising from this project. Where applicable, we also
aligned our discussion with the experience and lessons from other countries and agencies to consider, learn from and respond to the international context, as others develop systems using space technology to tackle similar wildfire issues.