NDRRGP Developing pathways for reducing the peri-urban backyard bushfire hazard in Hobart

Our 2020-21 NDRRGP-funded project generated targeted pathways for engaging with residents. One such pathway is centred around understanding garden and bushland fuel hazards on private property, along with bushfire safe garden design.

Generally, the flammability of live plants is poorly understood, and as a result it is difficult to assess garden flammability (Jolly & Johnson, 2018). Current assessment of common native and non-native plant flammability in Tasmania is based on limited scientific evidence. New techniques are now available to provide whole of plant assessments (Wyse et al., 2016). Further, current fire hazard assessment methods do not account for differences in flammability between different vegetation, whether they are native or ornamental. Therefore, a thorough assessment of flammability of common native and ornamental plants in Hobart is needed before garden and bushland flammability can accurately be assessed, and this data needs to be used to update current fuel hazard assessment methods for gardens and for southern Tasmanian bushland.

City of Hobart currently employs a complaint-compliance model of engagement on residential fuel hazard abatement, which relies on complaints by residents to ensure compliance. However, our research suggests that a proactive service-facilitation model, where residents are offered assessment and advice on garden and bushland hazard abatement, may engage residents more effectively in bushfire preparation. This project will build on findings of our previous social and biophysical research to design and trial methods of such assessment and communication.