Articles

The frequency of fire-generated thunderstorms has increased in the last 20 years, with Australia entering an era of violent pyro-convection. This research helps predict the formation of fire-generated thunderstorms, such as this one forming over Lake King in Western Australia, February 2020. Image courtesy of Christine Harper, DBCA, Western Australia
When fires cause storms

New technology is now available that predicts fire-generated thunderstorms, prompted by a sharp increase in…

Australia’s building industry is starting to recognise the importance of passive fire product certification. Images supplied by Author / Contributor
The history of product certification
Third-party product certification schemes build on and strengthen the assurance provided by testing. They help…
Figure 2: FLS-IR3-H2-HD flame detector. Images supplied by Author / Contributor
Becoming green and the challenges for optical flame detection

We are all too aware of the drivers to become greener. In some cases, the…

Retail outlet application for conventional detectors. Images supplied by Author / Contributor
The conventional market is not going away

For many people, the advent and growth of addressable fire detection indicated the end of…

Taking protective action during floods and storms

Public safety messages for floods and storms will be broadcast on ABC Radio this severe…

Remote testing system setup for a FireDos GEN III proportioner. Images supplied by Author / Contributor
GEN III Smart Proportioner – remote testing system

Regular testing and maintenance ensure a maximum service life and functional and failure-related safety of…

Water being applied from a safe distance from the machine and to avoid smoke, extinguishing burning material and reduce dust emissions. Images supplied by Author / Contributor
Suppression strategies for peat fires – Part 3

The main factors that affect fire spread in peat are moisture content, oxygen supply, and…

Fig. 2: Depiction of typical fire-resistant polymeric cables in vertical installation after fire exposure.
Is your life-safety equipment ‘fit for purpose’?

Life-safety, firefighting and critical emergency systems depend on the unfailing reliability of electric cables during…

Climate change will increase the number and severity of wildfires.
Climate change and wildfire: a call to arms

Australia’s Black Summer of bushfires in 2019–20 was utterly unprecedented. Fires started in winter then…

As a trusted partner of the Australian Government, Standards Australia engages with countries in the Pacific.
Standards Australia supports quality infrastructure in the Pacific

As a trusted partner of the Australian Government, Standards Australia engages with countries in the…

Deploying the Fire Blanket over a burning vehicle.
Safely tackling electric vehicle and internal combustion engine fires

With Australia and New Zealand plans to accelerate the sales of electric vehicles (EV) over…

Real-time fire mapping of a small fire in Parkdale, Oregon. Drones can support early detection and rapid mapping of wildland fires before they grow too big. Image courtesy of TK-7, Overwatch Imaging
The future of fighting wildfires is drones

From California to Turkey to Australia, wildfires, also known as bushfires, are everywhere – and…

The Cooper is ideally suited for a wide variety of purposes, including accommodation, office/communication/briefing spaces, or storage.
When time is of the essence

While beautiful, the Australian landscape can be harsh and unforgiving. Affecting and devastating the lives…

ICMS in Beirut Lebanon Explosion.
Integration of innovation and technology and USAR coordination in major disasters
The Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Coordination Mechanism introduced by the United Nations International Search…
The term ‘char fall-off’ refers to charred pieces of the exposed lamella detaching from the timber structure and falling off, such as this CLT sample shows after burning under exposure to external heating of 20kW/m² and structural loading (Left: Front view. Middle: Side view). Exemplary pieces of char fall off collected from the floor of the setup after testing (Right).
Understanding char loss and fall-off for fire-safe design of timber structures

Engineered timber is in high demand while the awareness of environmental pressures is growing. Worldwide…

A leadership workshop taking place in Arnhem Land. Image courtesy of Stephen Sutton, Charles Darwin University
Indigenous communities leading the way with natural hazards training

Existing natural hazards training is inadequate for remote Indigenous communities. New collaborative research has worked…

Aussie acts to combat Wildfires wherever they are.
Get ready for the big burn

This story is contributed by Warwick Lorenz from Australian Pump Industries. Warwick has learnt from…

WRC Rally car crash. These vehicles soon will have a hybrid drivetrain in 2022.
Today’s personal protective envelope for motorsports response – Part 2

The ramifications of hybrids and electrics in motorsports is a significant concern. These vehicles bring…

FIRESHIELD is a multi-layered fabric designed to offer high radiant heat protection without sacrificing mobility.
Firefighter safety, 30 years in the making

Safety. Comfort. Unless both are built into their protective clothing, no firefighter will be able…

The 2021 wildfire season in the U.S. could be even worse than 2020. A greater focus on prevention is needed to avoid devastating damages from wildfires.
Breakthroughs accelerating the preventative use of long-term fire retardants

Aircraft have dropped red long-term retardants in response to out-of-control wildfires for almost 60 years.…

Ensuring that volunteer teams are as well-supported as possible is essential to deliver crucial emergency services.
Helping volunteers shine as leaders

A new evidence-based toolkit is strengthening Australia’s emergency service workforce capability by supporting volunteer leaders…

Typical overall system schematic for a ‘cloud’ based solution for an application covering multiple sites.
IoT-enabled valve monitoring system can ease inspection burden

A new wireless valve monitoring system, which recently earned the FM Approvals certification, promises to…

Asia Pacific Fire is the only quarterly journal for the Asia Pacific Fire protection, fire service and emergency management communities. Asia Pacific Fire is dedicated to keeping our readers up to date with current research, new and innovative equipment, techniques and training methods. We also cover regional news stories and current issues.

Our articles are written and read by leaders in the fire and disaster management world, looking at the issues around protection, prevention, mitigation, response and recovery. We are very much aware of the importance of looking to the future to solve problems before they arise within the community and agencies.

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