Bushfires at the urban-rural interface

Abstract

[Extract] Bushfire-prone areas of most concern to the Australian public, Governments and fire authorities are those where the economic costs and social/environmental impacts are greatest. Such impacts of bushfire appear to have been experienced more intensely in the south-eastern states/territory of Australia and to a lesser extent in Western Australia and Queensland. The most significant bushfire risks in Australia generally occur where populated areas meet with areas of bushfire risk – the areas referred to as the rural-urban interface.