Rethinking bushfire risk in Tasmania
Bushfire risk is rising and old approaches no longer cut it, writes Mel Percival, RACT GM Advocacy and Government Relations.
Living close to nature is part of what makes life in Tasmania so special. It also brings challenges, particularly bushfires, which are our most significant natural hazard.
Tasmanians are experiencing more frequent, intense events like those we saw at Dolphin Sands and St Helens this past summer, or the wind event across the north of the state the year prior. The last 15 years have been one of the most impactful and financially significant periods in Tasmanian climate history, resulting in over $2 billion of economic damage.
We’re proud to be Tasmania’s largest household insurer, owned by members and providing coverage to about a third of Tasmanian homes. We are committed to supporting solutions that help people adapt to the increasing risk of bushfires and other extreme weather events.
Our focus is on understanding and responding to the current and future risks facing our state. One in three Tasmanians live in a high-risk bushfire area and 98 per cent of Tasmania is prone to bushfire. Investing in prevention and preparedness reduces risk to our homes and communities and, critically, supports our firefighters’ work protecting lives and property during fires.
Reducing risk and minimising property losses also directly affects the cost and availability of insurance. How we reduce bushfire risk needs to evolve to meet the challenges of our changing climate, because approaches that have been successful in the past may not be as effective in the future.
That’s why RACT has partnered with the University of Tasmania’s Fire Centre.
We are investing up to $1.2 million over four years in this partnership to support research into ways to reduce bushfire risk and to trial innovative household preparedness programs that encourage risk-reducing actions.
Preparedness saves lives, reduces damage and supports emergency services, which is why we’re investing in the state we’ve served for more than a century.
The Fire Centre, led by Professor David Bowman, is internationally recognised for its bushfire research, which combines natural and social sciences to better understand fire behaviour and community resilience. This powerful partnership combines world-leading research with RACT’s deep local knowledge, insurance risk insights and strong connections to Tasmanian households.
Together, RACT and the University of Tasmania will deliver co-designed projects that translate fire science into practical tools and advice Tasmanians can use in their homes and communities. We will focus on supporting households, councils and communities to strengthen property resilience, reduce local fire risk and make informed decisions when fire threatens.
Professor Bowman is passionate about Tasmania’s opportunity to demonstrate how a small jurisdiction can combine science, local insight and community engagement to become one of the most fire-resilient places in the world. That ambition aligns with our commitment to reinvest in Tasmania’s future.
As a Tasmanian-owned organisation with more than 220,000 members, we are focused not just on supporting our members after a natural disaster, but also on helping reduce risk before it occurs. This exciting partnership reflects our belief that by investing locally, working collaboratively and planning for the long term, Tasmania can not only adapt to a changing climate but also lead the way.