Introduction and overview of Desert Fire

Introduction and overview of Desert Fire Report

DKCRC Research Report - Desert Fire: fire and regional land management in the arid landscapes of Australia

  • Author(s): Edwards, GP, Allan, GE
  • Secondary Author(s): Edwards, GP, Allan, GE
  • Published: 2009
  • Publisher: Desert Knowledge CRC
  • Volume: 37

Abstract: This report is the main technical scientific report of Desert Fire. Fire is a regular and widespread feature across many Australian landscapes, including the vast desert regions, the northern tropical savannas and the southern coastal forests and heathlands. Its occurrence and impact in the desert regions is as variable as the region itself. Fire can be an annual feature of the northern desert regions fringing the tropical savannas, less regular in central and southern Australia but closely linked to the variable rainfall, or virtually absent in intensively managed grazing lands in the eastern desert region. Attitudes vary towards fire, both its value as a management tool and the threats and impacts of wildfires to infrastructure, productivity and biodiversity. These attitudes seem to vary locally and regionally, between and within community groups. During the three-year period 2000–2002, fires were common in the central and northern regions of Australia’s desert lands, following a period of above average rainfall that created exceptional grass growth and fuel production. This raised the awareness of fire but has also led to conflicts among sectors of the rural community. The Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre (DKCRC) attempted to address some of the key issues in managing fire in desert Australia through an initiative called ‘Desert Fire’.

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Suggested Citation
Edwards, GP, Allan, GE, 2009, Introduction and overview of Desert Fire, Volume:37, Report, viewed 15 February 2025, https://www.nintione.com.au/?p=4679.

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