Understanding why fires start and how they burn helps us prepare for and manage bushfires. We conduct ongoing research into fire behaviour and best practice for fire management.

All fires need oxygen, heat and fuel to burn. How quickly a fire spreads and how intensely a fire burns depends on the type of fuel, the topography and the weather (mostly wind and temperature).

How do fires burn?

Bushfires occur often in south-eastern Australia where the weather is often hot and dry. Fire spreads by a process called heat transfer. This is when the material immediately next to a fire is preheated to the point where it gets hot enough to ignite.

Fire burns more quickly travelling uphill than downhill. The steeper the slope, the faster the fire will spread.

The aspect of the landscape, or the direction it faces, can also affect how fires burn. The aspect influences the type of plants that grows there and the level of moisture it contains. In NSW, west-facing slopes are the hottest and driest. The vegetation is more flammable, but the plants are also more fire tolerant. South-facing slopes are usually cooler and wetter with less flammable vegetation. However, these plants are less fire tolerant and fires in these areas can be devastating.