🇫🇷🇦🇺France–Australia Bushfires Research & Innovation Exchange: A New Era of Cross-Border Fire Science

📍 Melbourne, September 15, 2025

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As fire seasons grow longer, more intense and increasingly unpredictable, France and Australia - two nations shaped by wildfire - are turning to each other for answers. On the 15th of September, over 150 attendees joined the France–Australia Bushfires Research & Innovation Exchange which brought together scientists, fire agencies, and policymakers to share cutting-edge knowledge and explore how innovation can help confront the fires of the future.

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A Shared Challenge, A Shared Commitment

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From the outset, the tone was set by speakers who emphasised the urgency of collaboration. Prof. Joy Sumner (FACET co-director, Swinburne University’s representative) described how climate change, combined with the accumulated knowledge of Indigenous fire management, provides both a challenge and a foundation for modern fire science. Paul Ignatio, the Consul General of France for Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania, reflected on the profound impact of the Black Summer in Australia and the 2022 mega-fires in Europe—events that highlight the global nature of the problem. For Dr. Vincent Lemiale (AFRAN VIC hub leader), structured partnerships between France and Australia are now essential to accelerate innovation, share data and support emerging research communities.

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Panel 1 — Understanding Extreme Fire Behaviour

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The first panel addressed one of the most complex issues in contemporary wildfire science: what drives the explosive, unpredictable behaviour of today’s fires?

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The session opened with Dr. Alexander Filkov (Principal Fire Behaviour Research Fellow, University of Melbourne), who presented France–Australia collaborative research on spotting, a key vector of rapid fire spread. His work focuses on how firebrands—burning embers lofted by the plume—are generated, transported and deposited. Understanding their trajectories and behaviour is essential, as spotting can leapfrog containment lines and trigger fires kilometres ahead of the main front.

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This theme of atmospheric interaction continued with Dr. Jean-Baptiste Filippi (Researcher CNRS, University of Corsica), who demonstrated how meteorological radars can detect pyro convective lift inside fire plumes. Radar returns allow researchers to track the vertical movement of hot air and embers, improving the early detection of conditions that may lead to extreme spread or the formation of pyrocumulonimbus clouds.

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Turning to operational forecasting, Musa Kilinc (Predictive Services Specialist, Country Fire Authority Victoria) explained how Australia blends seasonal forecasts, daily indices and real-time intelligence to monitor risk. Predictive services now rely on multi-agency data fusion, integrating ground observations, satellite feeds, fuel assessments and incident intelligence to support decisions about resource deployment and public warnings.

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The panel then shifted to the physics behind extreme fire dynamics. Prof. Jason Sharples (Director for UNSW Bushfire School of Science, UNSW Canberra) described how non-linear processes—such as lateral vorticity-driven spread, fire coalescence and mass spotting—can transform ordinary fires into highly dynamic, fast-moving events. These behaviours are often poorly captured by traditional models, underscoring the need for next generation forecasting tools.

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Providing a French perspective, Xavier Joseph (Fire Analyst, National Bushfire Academy, Valabre) discussed the empirical forecasting methods used in France, which rely heavily on real-time field assessments of vegetation structure, dryness and fuel continuity. This on-the-ground expertise, built over decades, allows incident commanders to identify trigger points where fire behaviour may shift rapidly.

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Finally, David Field (Acting Manager, RFS Predictive Services NSW) presented a groundbreaking operational tool: the Pyro Cb Firepower Threshold. By combining predicted fire intensity with atmospheric instability, analysts can forecast the likelihood of a fire generating its own thunderstorm—a capability with major implications for firefighter safety, air operations and community warnings.

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Taken together, the panel painted a detailed picture of how fire behaviour science is evolving—and why a combination of advanced modelling, empirical knowledge and multi-scale forecasting is increasingly essential.

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Panel 2 — Immersive Technology Redefines Incident Management

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The second panel, chaired by Dr Vincent Lemiale (Group Leader Analytics and Decisions Sciences, CSIRO Data61), explored how immersive technologies are reshaping the way incident management teams train for complex, high-risk situations.

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Major Christophe Choserot (National Bushfire Academy, Valabre) and Eric Maranne (CTO VR-Crisis company) described more than two decades of work in building large-scale crisis simulation environments. Their systems allow dozens of participants—sometimes 60 or more—to engage simultaneously in a shared 3D firefighting scenario. These simulations integrate evolving fire behaviour, aircraft operations, ground crews, communications systems and decision-making structures. As agencies face increasingly complex incidents, such tools provide a safe yet highly realistic platform to practise strategic and tactical coordination.

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Echoing this sentiment, Assistant Commissioner Greg Drummond (Assistant Commissioner Education & Training Directorate, Fire & Rescue NSW) highlighted the limitations of traditional tabletop exercises. These older methods often simplify uncertainty or underrepresent the cascading effects of operational decisions. Immersive training, by contrast, reflects the dynamic pace and inherent ambiguity of real incidents, enabling personnel to build robust mental models before they step into the field.

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The panel culminated with Scienta Prof. Dennis Del Favero (Chair Professor of Digital Innovation, UNSW & iCinema), who showcased how Spark bushfire simulations—typically visualised as maps or graphs—can be transformed into navigable 3D environments. In these virtual landscapes, trainees can explore firegrounds, adjust variables such as wind or humidity, and see in real time how their decisions influence fire behaviour. This type of simulation doesn't just teach procedures; it develops situational awareness and intuitive understanding—qualities that are often decisive in crisis environments.

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The overarching message from Panel 2 was clear: as fires grow more complex, the ability to simulate realistic scenarios becomes a critical component of preparedness. Immersive tools offer a powerful way to train teams for situations that would be too dangerous, too costly or too rare to practise in real life.

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Keynote — The Science Behind Aerial Drops

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The final panel delivered one of the day’s most operationally relevant sessions: how to make every litre of water or retardant dropped from the sky more effective.

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Musa Kilinc set the stage by reminding attendees that aviation operations are expensive and increasingly vital. As fires intensify, the need for scientific optimisation grows.

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Dr. Frédérique Giroud (Director of CEREN, Applied Bushfire Research Centre, France) presented France’s large-scale drop-testing program, which uses expansive grids of collection cups, drone footage and high-speed analysis to understand how different aircraft, tank designs and products behave in real conditions. Her work helps determine product efficiency, optimal application rates, wind effects and even long-term aircraft aging.

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Complementing this fieldwork, Prof. Dominique Legendre (Professor in Fluid Mechanic Institute, Toulouse) explored the physics of drop fragmentation—the process by which a stream of water or retardant breaks into filaments and droplets. Through advanced simulations and wind-tunnel experiments, his team studies instabilities, the role of tank-door geometry, and interactions with vegetation. Early findings suggest strong potential to enhance uniformity and effectiveness by redesigning delivery systems.

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The Q&A session reinforced a key theme: aerial drops work, but not as simply as we often assume. Fire intensity, fuel load, atmospheric instability, aircraft design and rheology all matter. Effective suppression requires a nuanced, evidence-based approach.

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Closing Reflections

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To conclude the event, Dr. Vincent Lemiale emphasised the richness of the discussions and encouraged more targeted follow-up sessions. The level of engagement from both countries highlighted a shared determination to keep advancing the science of wildfire management.

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Key Take-Home Messages

1. Extreme fires are becoming the new normal - Spotting, deep flaming, pyro convection and rapid escalation are increasingly common.

2. Predictive intelligence must operate across timescales - From seasonal trends to near real-time plume analysis, agencies need layered situational awareness.

3. Aerial suppression must be guided by science, not assumptions - Rheology, tank-door dynamics, wind and fragmentation all influence drop effectiveness.

4. Immersive technologies are transforming firefighter training - VR environments improve decision-making for scenarios too dangerous to replicate in real life.

5. Effective suppression relies on a complementary fleet, not a single “best” aircraft - Each platform has strengths and should be used strategically.

6. Experimentation and modelling strengthen each other - Ground data validate simulations; simulations help target and reduce costly field trials.

7. France and Australia gain by working together - Both nations face similar challenges—and their combined expertise accelerates innovation.