From the classroom to the fireground: fire workshops evolve to meet landholder needs
In the Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium (QFBC) team’s years of running workshops, our presenters have seen attendees’ knowledge and awareness of bushfire risks and management techniques mature over time. This is in large part thanks to the great advocacy work of our local and state government, various bushfire planning and emergency service partners, and dedicated community members that attend and network at our bushfire workshops. While bushfire awareness building and planning is still essential in many areas around the state, we’ve heard the call from landholders for more advanced learnings and practical tips.
Over the past two months, the QFBC team has been busy delivering both our long-standing workshop models and introducing new hands-on infield sessions. These new practical formats have been developed in response to landholder feedback for more field-based learning, and it’s been great to see such strong interest across the region.
Whether you're new to fire planning or ready to dive deeper, we’re here to support you. Take a look at our workshops below or if you have an idea for a workshop in your area, get in touch with our team!
Long-standing workshop models
The QFBC team has recently conducted Property Fire Management Planning sessions in Redlands and Woodford and a Fire Information Session at Mudgeeraba, two established workshop formats aimed at introducing landholders to fire management. These workshops serve as an entry point for landholders to understand the fundamentals of bushfire prevention, and continue to receive great feedback about how our presenters make the theory components accessible to landholders.
Different fuel types and bushfire risk severity presented at a fire information session.
New hands-on infield sessions
Based on feedback from past attendees, the QFBC team has developed a new suite of workshops with more advanced training, practical skills, real-world examples, and time on Country to deepen community understanding of the landscape. Our How to Plan a Burn workshops focus on tailored and interactive learning, taking participants beyond theory. These sessions guide attendees through site-based planning, bushfire ecology, and the mechanics of hazard reduction and ecological burning.
Bringing classroom learnings into context in the landscape in our How to Plan a Burn workshop.
Most recently, we coordinated and collaborated with the Noosa Council fire team to deliver a collaborative How to Plan a Burn workshop, centred around one of Noosa Council’s planned burn sites.
Bringing classroom learnings into context in the landscape in our How to Plan a Burn workshop.
In Crossdale, we connected with the First Officer of the local rural fire brigade on a site visit of his property and discussed what might be possible, giving participants a realistic look at how community-led planned burns can take shape.
Every landscape and every community has a different fire story. That’s why we now offer bespoke workshops to meet communities’ needs. If you have an idea for a fire workshop in your area, get in touch. We’d love to bring together your local community of landholders and services to create a session that fits your patch.
Practical takeaways
When asked what actions landholders would take based on what they had learned from the workshops some responses included:
“Do a planned burn, start small to build my confidence.”
“We will do a fuel load assessment to inform a planned burn, prep site based on RE mapping and get a permit.”
“Join Land For Wildlife, prepare a bushfire survival plan, get RFS help with a burn.”
“Meeting people in local community who know and care about their property.”
Check out our upcoming events near you.
