An explosive charge, a controlled blast and a powerful shockwave could be the winning formula for battling fast-moving bushfires in the near future.

The technique is being developed by University of New South Wales scientist Dr Graham Doig, who recently travelled to an explosives test site in a remote part of New Mexico in the United States to examine how the method may work.

He said he believes the method could potentially stop a "fast, uncontrolled fire in its tracks".

"Once a fire gets out of control, at the moment there's essentially nothing we can do," he said.

Dr Doig said it could also provide communities with more time to escape a threatening blaze.

Explosives have long been used to put out oil well blazes in the US but have not previously been applied to bushfires.

Dr Doig said a controlled explosion can "push a flame off its fuel source and put it out".

"It interferes with the combustion process and even though there's still a lot of heat, still a lot of fuel there, the flame cannot get access to oxygen," he said.

The explosive charge could be carried into place by a helicopter before being dropped on the fire below.

Dr Doig initially investigated the effects of sonic booms from aircrafts on flames and it is hoped shockwaves - similar to an aircraft's sonic boom - could extinguish bushfires.

"It's like a really overkill way of blowing out a candle, except on a much larger scale," he said.

Experienced firefighters are quietly optimistic about its potential.

"Obviously, the theory is sound," New South Wales Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner Rob Rogers said.

"The effect on animals, firefighters in the area, all of those things would need to be considered.

"It's really important that people do carry out this research and people do become innovative."

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