Remote sensing of bushfire fuel has been identified as a way of objectively measuring fuel to assess risk and make predictions of fire spread. 

This project proposes to measure bushfire fuel using remote sensing and the effects of fuel on fire behaviour. The research will focus on a specific fuel type which has been identified by end-users in South Australia as difficult to predict with current fire behaviour models. Known in South Australia as Coastal Mallee Heath, this fuel type dominates the recently devastated Kangaroo Island and is also found in other southern coastal areas of South Australia and Western Australia. The fuel structure may be similar to other high fuel load heathlands around Australia and possibly other countries, however this will need to be determined by the research outcomes.

This research is being supported by the Department of Environment and Water (DEW) and South Australia Country Fire Service. Simeon is an employee of DEW and is supported to coordinate experimental burns as well as collect fire observations and fuel samples at prescribed burns and bushfires.