ZeroFire researchers continue to explore ground breaking fire extinguishing agents and technologies for bushfires.
Our researchers are committed to developing firefighting devises which will reduce the devastating effects and damage to bushfires and rural communities throughout Australia.
Every year in Australia, bushfires are frequent events during the hotter months of the year, due to Australia's mostly hot and dry climate. During most summers, Australia will experience a significant bushfire event that can devastate lives, forests and impact on the suburban fringes of major cities.
Major firestorms that result in severe loss of life are often named based on the day on which they occur, such as Ash Wednesday and Black Saturday. Some of the most intense, extensive and deadly bushfires commonly occur during droughts and heat waves, such as the 2009 Southern Australia heat wave, which precipitated the conditions during the Black Saturday bushfires in which 173 people lost their lives. Other major conflagrations include the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, the 2003 Eastern Victorian alpine bushfires and the 2006 December Bushfires.
Victoria has seen the majority of the deadliest and largest bushfires in Australia, most notably the 2009 Black Saturday fires, where 173 people were killed, around four thousand homes and structures were destroyed, towns were gutted and some, such as Marysville, were completely destroyed.
The reality is bushfires are part of the Australian landscape. They have been around for an estimated 60 million years and they are a regular cycle in our climate. Global warming is increasing the frequency and severity of bushfires and will lead to increased days of extreme fire danger.
In order to protect people's property and lives, bushfire prevention strategies must be in place. It is for this reason we continue our research to find new technologies that will effectively reduce the devastating effects of bush and rural community fires.