This short blog focuses in on Australian bushfires and 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 Practitioner (GHP) and Teacher/Trainer/Facilitator.  From 2010-2022 he was a lecturer on the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Emergency Management program, and in the 1990’s was involved in the review of the Municipal Emergency Management Plans (MEMPs) in two local coastal council areas south of Geelong. With regards Australian bushfires and floods he has been involved in coordinating church-led 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 2019/2020 bushfires. He also teaches on different aspects of bushfire recovery work on the TorqAid Participatory Disaster Risk Management (PDRM) program.

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.

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, 5-6^th March 2020

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

BUV Video on Gippsland, 11-12^th 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.

Based on his BRA work, Chris prepared an article in mid 2020 on training for bushfire-related field staff and volunteers, these people involved in recovery work within a COVID-19 context.

Following the earlier 2009 bushfires in Victoria, Chris coordinated some church-based community recovery work on a number of weekends during 2009-2011.  He produced a Project Design Document (PDD) relating to this, and interested folk can contact on chris@torqaid.com to request a copy of this.

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

Aspects of bushfires is covered in Topics TC02 of the aforementioned PDRM program. The link below relates to the accredited online 2025 PDRM program running from the beginning of March through to mid-June.