Research leader

Mika Peace
Dr Mika Peace Research Leader
Jeff Kepert
Dr Jeff Kepert Research Leader

End User representatives

Andrew Stark
Andrew Stark End-User
Mark Chladil
Mark Chladil End-User
Laurence McCoy End-User
Dr Neil Burrows
Dr Neil Burrows End-User
John Bally End-User
Mike Wouters
Mike Wouters End-User

This project aimed to improve understanding of fire and atmosphere interactions and feedback processes through running the coupled fire-atmosphere model ACCESS-Fire.

Project deliverables include: preparation of meteorological and simulation case studies of significant fire events as publications; installation and testing of the ACCESS-Fire coupled model on the National Computing Infrastructure (NCI); and preparation of training material to support operational implementation of research findings.

The project has demonstrably achieved the objective of building and sharing national capability in fire research and has provided fire and meteorology expertise during high impact events in support of end-users inside their operational centers.  That outcome is not a specific project deliverable and is to some degree intangible, so not as easily measured as outcomes such as publications.  However, it successfully realises the CRC objective of building collaborations and trusted partnerships and strengthening national capability. The operational support capability is recognised and valued across fire and land management agencies and in the Bureau.

Read the final report here. 

Year Type Citation
2022 Book Chapter Golding, B. et al. Towards the “Perfect” Weather Warning: Bridging Disciplinary Gaps through Partnership and Communication 149 (Springer Nature, 2022). doi:doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98989-7_6
2021 Report Peace, M., Kepert, J., Ye, H. & Greenslade, J. Coupled fire-atmosphere modelling – final project report. (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2021).
2020 Journal Article Peace, M., Charney, J. & Bally, J. Lessons learned from coupled fire-atmosphere research and implications for operational fire prediction and meteorological products provided by the Bureau of Meteorology to Australian fire agencies. Atmosphere 11, (2020).
2020 Report Peace, M., Kepert, J., Ye, H. & Greenslade, J. Coupled fire-atmosphere modelling: ACCESS-Fire – annual report 2019-2020. (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2020).
2019 Conference Paper Peace, M., Kepert, J. & Ye, H. ACCESS-Fire: coupled fire-atmosphere modelling. Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC Research Day AFAC19 (2019). at <https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/australian-journal-of-emergency-management-monograph-series/>
2019 Conference Paper Sturgess, A. & Peace, M. Science in operations: QFES response to the 2018 Queensland fires. Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC Research Day AFAC19 (2019). at <https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/resources/australian-journal-of-emergency-management-monograph-series/>
2019 Journal Article Virgilio, G. et al. Climate Change Increases the Potential for Extreme Wildfires. Geophysical Research Letters 46, 8517-8526 (2019).
2019 Report Peace, M., Kepert, J. & Ye, H. Coupled fire atmosphere modelling annual report 2018-2019. (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2019).
2018 Conference Paper Peace, M., Kepert, J. & Ye, H. Simulations of the waroona fire with the access-fire coupled fire atmosphere model. AFAC18 (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2018).
2018 Conference Paper Bates, J. Research proceedings from the 2018 Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC and AFAC Conference. Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC & AFAC annual conference 2017 (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2018).
2017 Conference Paper Peace, M. et al. Lessons learned from a multidisciplinary investigation into the Waroona fire. AFAC17 (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2017).
2017 Journal Article Peace, M. et al. Meteorological drivers of extreme fire behaviour during the Waroona bushfire, Western Australia, January 2016. Journal of Southern Hemisphere Earth Systems Science 67, 79-106 (2017).
2017 Report Kepert, J., Peace, M. & Ye, H. Coupled fire-atmosphere modelling project: annual project report 2016-17. (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2017).
2016 Report Kepert, J. & Peace, M. Coupled fire-atmosphere modelling: Annual project report 2015-2016. (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, 2016).
2015 Presentation Kepert, J. & Peace, M. Coupled Fire-Atmosphere Modelling. (2015).
Date Title Download Key Topics
20 Oct 2014 Managing severe weather - progress and opportunities risk management, severe weather
22 Oct 2014 Managing severe weather: progress and opportunities forecasting, risk management, severe weather
27 Oct 2014 The effects of fire-plume dynamics on the spread of long range spotting fire, modelling
01 Apr 2015 Fire Australia Autumn 2015 PDF icon 8.64 MB (8.64 MB) fire, modelling, severe weather
02 Sep 2015 The Sydney 2014 Forecasting Demonstration Project A Step from Research to Operations PDF icon 1.27 MB (1.27 MB) fire impacts, fire weather, severe weather
22 Mar 2016 Severe and High Impact Weather - cluster overview File 0 bytes (0 bytes) fire, modelling, scenario analysis
24 Oct 2016 Coupled fire-atmosphere modelling project PDF icon 2.46 MB (2.46 MB) fire severity, fire weather, modelling
25 Oct 2016 Next generation fire modelling PDF icon 1.35 MB (1.35 MB) fire impacts, fire severity, fire weather
07 Jul 2017 Building bushfire predictive services capability PDF icon 9.97 MB (9.97 MB) fire, fire weather, modelling
07 Jul 2017 Coupled fire-atmosphere modelling - Dr Lachie McCaw File 0 bytes (0 bytes) fire impacts, fire severity, fire weather
31 Oct 2017 Coupled fire-atmosphere modelling project: ACCESS-Fire PDF icon 580.38 KB (580.38 KB) fire, fire weather, modelling
05 Dec 2017 Lessons learned from the Waroona fire: AFAC webinar File 0 bytes (0 bytes) fire, fire weather, modelling
14 Jun 2018 Extreme fire behaviour: reconstructing the Waroona fire pyrocumulonimbus and ember storms PDF icon 420.52 KB (420.52 KB) fire impacts, fire severity, fire weather
18 Sep 2018 ACCESS-Fire to better understand risk PDF icon 1.81 MB (1.81 MB) fire, modelling
23 Nov 2018 Coupled fire-atmosphere modelling PDF icon 832.11 KB (832.11 KB) fire, modelling
18 Jun 2019 Making better forecasts PDF icon 12.57 MB (12.57 MB) communities, modelling, severe weather
30 Jul 2019 ACCESS-Fire PDF icon 773.27 KB (773.27 KB) fire, modelling
27 Aug 2019 ACCESS-Fire PDF icon 11.32 MB (11.32 MB) fire, modelling
Meteorology of the Sampson Flat Fire in January 2015
18 Aug 2015
In January 2015, the Sampson flat bushfire burnt in the Adelaide hills. it was active for 6 days, burning 12,...
Mika Peace Conference Poster 2016
14 Aug 2016
Coupled fire-atmosphere models show three-dimensional interactions between a fire and the surrounding...
Access-fire: Australia's coupled fire-atmosphere model
29 Jun 2017
Some bushfires exhibit extreme behaviour that exceeds the bounds of existing predictive guides. Coupling...
Coupled fire-atmosphere simulations of the Sir Ivan Fire
19 Sep 2018
ACCESS-Fire couples an empirical fire spread model to the Australian numerical weather prediction model. The...
27 Aug 2019
Coupled models are a class of fire prediction models that combine fire and atmospheric components. The...
31 Aug 2020
Key findings: Coupled modelling can provide the next level of value for fire danger forecasting, if it can be...