Bushfires

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The Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Diagrammatic Framework is a very useful approach to better understanding disasters, particularly as they pass through their Normal/Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Emergency Response & Recovery Stages.  See the enclosed article here.

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This short blog focuses in on Australian bushfires and floods.  It is updated in late 2022 when much of the east coast of Australia (as well as Tasmania), is being challenged by unrelenting La Nina influenced floods.  Whilst the majority of examples relate to bushfires, the principles behind them apply equally to floods (as well as to other Australian hazards such as tropical cyclones and drought). This blog is written by Chris Piper, an Australian-based Global Humanitarian Practiioner (GHP) and Teacher/trainer/Facilitor.  With regards Australian bushfires and floods he has been involved in coordinating volunteer recovery responses to the 2009 Victorian bushfires and 2011 floods, as well as acting as Bushfire Recovery Adviser (BRA) to the Baptist Union of Victoria (BRA) following the 2020/2021 bushfires.

The Australian 2019/2020 bushfire season was unprecedented in its intensity and geographical spread. Following the fires, Chris worked from March-May as BRA for the BUV, this involving him visiting and supporting affected communities in the east of Victoria. The following two links highlight some aspects of his visits to the field.

BUV Video on Corryong, 5-6th March 2020

https://www.buv.com.au/news/corryong-and-surrounds-from-bushfires-to-covid-19

BUV Video on Gippsland, 11-12th March 2020

https://www.buv.com.au/news/an-update-on-our-response-to-the-bushfires

In January 2020 Chris prepared an article on the bushfires for the March 2020 edition of the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria’s (GTAV) quarterly ‘Interaction’ magazine.  This includes some suggested Classroom Activities for Secondary level students.  This gives a good overview of the Emergency Response Stage of the bushfires; some comments on the recovery challenges throughout 2020, this complicated by COVID-19; and some thoughts on future Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) initiatives, these including some related to climate change.

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Based on his BRA work, Chris has prepared an article on training for bushfire-related field staff and volunteers, these people involved in recovery work within a COVID-19 context.

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Following the earlier 2009 bushfires in Victoria, Chris coordinated some church-based community recovery work on a number of weekends during 2009-2011.  Follow the link below for a copy of bushfire-related Project Design Document (PDD) relating to this.

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Following this 2009-2011 work, Chris prepared a short article on the management of volunteers in such situations.

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Aspects of bushfires is covered in Topics 1 & 2 of the Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) training program, which can be delivered in either workshop or online format.  See the link to the 2023 PDRM program.

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DRM-Framework

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Over the past two dozen years, TorqAid, with input from practitioners and students, has developed a diagrammatic framework of how key aspects of all disasters can be illustrated by the use of four key diagrams.  This material is covered in an article entitled a ‘Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Diagrammatic Framework’.  This DRM Framework article can be accessed here.

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This DRM Framework article focuses on four key diagrams, namely the Disaster Risk Management Cycle (DRMC); the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) diagram; the DRM Planning diagram; and the Project Management Cycle (PMC). There are also variants of the DRMC and DRR relating to slow-onset hazards such as drought and climate change. There is also a variant of the DRMC diagram relating to the 2020-2023 COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a modification of the DRR diagram due to conflict and/or a severe breakdown in governance.  Jpeg copies of these diagrams can be accessed on the TorqAid website at www.torqaid.com/resources.

The DRM framework is also extensively covered in TorqAid accredited Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) training.  This is offered in an online format running from the end of July through to mid November 2026, as well as other PDRM client-based workshops. Details of the online program can be accessed here:

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