Kevin Tolhurst |
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Significant Professional Services |
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2007 Fires across Victoria. Provided fire behaviour predictions and advice on suppression strategies. Inducted three Canadian fire behaviour specialist to fire prediction in Victoria and instructed a number of fire behaviour specialist support staff. Fire behaviour predictions were used for public warning and preparation. A number of backburning operations were modified as a result of the groups’ fire behaviour predictions.
Wangary Fire, Eyre Peninsula, SA, 2005. Assisted the SA Government legal team in matters concerning suppression strategies, fire origin and spread (2006/7).
Beerburrum Fire of 1994, Queensland. 2004 to 2006. Assisted the Queensland Government in receiving partial compensation for damages caused by a fire starting in private plantation. The estimated damages claim was in the vicinity of $60million.
2006 Fires across Victoria. Provided fire behaviour predictions and advice on fire suppression strategies. In the case of the Grampians, assisted in preventing the fire reaching the Dunkeld/Glen Thompson area and burning out about 20,000 ha in the Victoria Range area on 26 January.
Fulham Fire 2005, western Victoria. Provided expert advise on burning out operations to bring the fire under control. Resulted in preventing overlighting of the area and almost certain increase in fire size as a result of escapes, reducing the area burn by a few thousand hectares and several more days in suppression activities.
Address to National Conference of Parliamentary Environment and Public Works Committees, 11-14 July, 2004. “Changing our perception of fire in the environment.” Cumberland Resort, Lorne, Victoria. (Invited speaker)
Victorian Parliamentary Briefing – Bushfires, Thursday 20 March 2003, 12:30 to 13:30, Victorian Legislative Council Committee Room. What we know about Bushfires and what we need to know - Prescribed Burning and Environmental Issues (Invited speaker)
Canberra Fires, 2003. Provided expert reports on the fire behaviour and fire behaviour predictions to the ACT Government Solicitor for the ACT Coronial Inquiry.
South-eastern Australian Fires 2003. Written and verbal submission to the Joint House of Representative Select Committee on Bushfires.
South-eastern Australian Fires 2003. Written and verbal submission to the Victorian Bushfire Inquiry, Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner.
North-east Fires, January/February 2003. Provided strategic advice at a local, regional and state levels on fire suppression strategy and community protection. In fires that were the most extensive in 60 years, only 41 houses were lost and no lives were lost directly due the fire. Significant areas of pine plantation were also saved from destruction. Made a significant contribution to the fire management debate on radio, television, newspapers and public forums.
Big Desert, December 2002. Provided fire weather and fire behaviour predictions that were used as a basis for choosing the best possible suppression strategy. This advice resulted in significantly reduced use of dozed fire control lines.
Sydney Bushfires 2001/02. Provided specialist fire weather and fire behaviour analysis for strategic fire suppression planning at the Bulga fires in the Wollemi National Park. This support resulted in a change in strategy to contain this fire rather than to just reduce property losses.
Court proceedings of Forestry Tasmania versus Rainbow (2001) Provided an expert report to Forestry Tasmania on the cause, origin, path and behaviour of the fire near Fingal Tasmania, Fire No. 374, 14th April 1997.
Coronial Inquiry into the Deaths of Five Firefighters at Linton, Victoria. (2001) Formed part of an four member expert panel called by the State Coroner (Graham Johnston) to report on the fire behaviour, suppression strategy, training and safety matters related to the events leading to the fatalities.
South Africa, 2000. Invited to be part of an international review team investigating the management and impact of the “Cape” fires in South Africa which occurred in January 2000. The review was ordered by the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry.
South Africa, 2000. By invitation, provided expert advice to the fire management agencies in South Africa implementing new fire management legislation. In particular, provided advice on the use and development of Fire Danger Rating Systems.
Mt Difficult Fire, Grampians, Victoria, February 1999. As leader of a technical specialist team, provided fire weather, fire behaviour and fire suppression strategy advice leading to a difficult but successful backburning operation.
Linton Fire, Ballarat, Victoria, December 1998. As part of an operation review team, undertook a study of the fire behaviour and fire weather conditions leading to the death of five volunteer fire fighters and the entrapment of ten others.
Prepared a submission (as senior author) to the Tasmanian Parliamentary Inquiry into Forest Fires on behalf of the Institute of Foresters of Australia, May 1998.
Caledonia Fire, Victoria, January 1998. As leader of a technical specialist team, provided expert fire weather and fire behaviour advice to the Incident Management Team as a basis for the formulation of fire suppression strategies.
Caledonia Fire was the largest wildfire in Victoria this decade. This advice resulted in a reduction in the total area burnt by a potential 20,000 ha or more.
Moora Moora Fire, Grampians, Victoria, April 1995. Provided expert fire behaviour and fire suppression strategy advice to the Incident Management Team suppressing the fire. This advice resulted in a significant cultural and environmental area not being burnt by the fire fighting team.
Sydney Bushfires, January 1994. As leader of a technical specialist team, provided expert fire weather and fire behaviour advice to the Incident Management Team as a basis for the formulation of fire suppression strategies in theGrose River Fire, Blue Mountains. This support resulted in over 100 km of backburning being achieved in one night which ultimately stopped the spread of the fire.
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