A free, online short course that explores the unpredictability of bushfires and how we live with them is teaching the community how to adapt in a changing climate.
Dr Penelope Jones, who developed the short course, said this was a great opportunity for anyone hoping to learn about the fascinating science behind wildfire and how to live safely and sustainably alongside it.
“The short course is designed to help people in the community understand fire, how it has shaped our environments and human cultures, and how and why we might find new ways to live well with it.”
The short course takes 18 hours over four weeks and can be started at any time.
The short course is a taster of a longer, 12-week unit, also called ‘Living with Fire’ that forms part of the Diploma of Sustainable Living. Students can choose to enrol in the full Diploma unit upon completion of the short course. In the Diploma, we discuss how we can live sustainably with fire, and help students to develop individual bushfire management strategies, as well as become more empowered to participate in conversations about how we plan for and respond to fire in our local communities.
Professor David Bowman, Professor of Pyrogeography and Fire Science at the University of Tasmania’s Fire Centre, and an international authority on wildfires, drew on more than 45 years of experience to help design the course.
“Preparing for a bushfire is not just for people living in the bush, it’s for everyone – there is a significant risk that fire can reach down into our urban areas and the best thing you can do is to be informed and have a plan.”
Register today to the Living with Fire free, online short course: www.utas.edu.au/study/short-courses/living-with-fire
More tips to stay safe during bushfire season from Professor David Bowman:
- Learn what a ‘catastrophic fire danger rating’ means and what you must do if this weather arrives: leave bushland areas that may be affected by these extraordinarily dangerous weather conditions.
- Develop situational awareness in the fire season: understand where you are, and if you are in a flammable environment, know how to leave to a safer place, be alerted to changes in the environment (seeing and smelling smoke, thunder) and monitor weather conditions (heat, wind, clouds, lightning).
- Have a plan to escape from dangerous places and identify nearby safe places (beaches, clear areas), think about the way you will leave and consider alternatives to driving – bikes, boats, kayaks, and walking!
- Be networked and keep up to date with warnings. Listen to your ABC local radio station for updates during an emergency.
- Be careful with fire and check for permit requirements before lighting fires – these might change day to day.
- Make sure your valuable belongings are packed and ready to go if you are in a bushfire prone area. Look out for others, especially vulnerable neighbours or those less mobile, and remember pets and their needs.
- Protect yourself from bushfire smoke: monitor your health with AirRater
- Get informed and do the Living with Fire short course and the Bushfires and Your Health online course.