Fire Science Program

An experimental burn moving slowly through the understory of an open forest

About Fire Science

The Fire Science Program seeks to inform fire management and biodiversity conservation across Western Australia, focussing on lands managed by the department.

The strategic goal of the program is to ensure that the best available scientific information is used for integrated fire management to protect communities and natural values.

Key themes for the program are research to enable:

understanding and predicting bushfire risk
optimising fire risk mitigation activities to integrate risk reduction effectiveness, conservation, and other objectives
conservation of biodiversity in relation to changing fire regimes and other threats

Developing and validating new data products and decision support tools for fire management, and monitoring and learning from the outcomes of prescribed burns and bushfire incidents are also important activities.

Our people

Ben Miller	Fire Science Program Leader
Ian Radford	Senior Research Scientist
Jennifer Hollis	Research Scientist
Michael Craig	Research Scientist
Stephanie Samson	Technical Officer
Valerie Densmore	Research Scientist
Russell Miller	Research Scientist
Jess Overton	Technical Officer
Ryan Tangney	Research Scientist

Dunnart at Julimar State Forest. Photo by G Anderson

Animal Science Program

Research program to understand the factors and processes critical to the conservation of WA’s unique native fauna.

Murchison Gorge, Kalbarri National Park. Photo by H.Ensikat

Biodiversity Information Office

Making Western Australian biodiversity data more discoverable, accessible, and usable.

Ecosystem Science Program

Research program to understand the environmental, ecological and biogeographical processes that determine the conservation values, health and productivity of the lands and inland waters managed by the department.

A scientist sitting in an arid landscape with surverying equipment to their right

Kings Park Science Program

Research program in native plant biology and ecology, ex situ conservation, and ecological restoration, informing the conservation and management of Western Australia's biodiversity and ecosystems.

outhern right whales at Point Ann, Fitzgerald River National Park. Photo by Peter Nicholas/DBCA

Marine Science Progam

Science program to undertake marine research and monitoring to support and improve the scientific basis for the conservation and management of WA’s marine protected areas, threatened and protected marine fauna and marine biodiversity.

A small turtle hatchling curled up on a hand

Perth Zoo Science Program

Research program to support the breed-for-release programs for six threatened species.

Verticordia insignis subsp. insignis. Photo by Kevin Thiele/DBCA

Plant Science and Herbarium Program

Research, collections management and biodiversity knowledge program to create and disseminate new knowledge on the diversity, distribution, evolution and ecology of the state’s flora.

False colour images showing how the same landscape is imaged by different sensors from a drone.

Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis Program

Research program to integrate the science and application of remote sensing and spatial analysis into departmental programs.

Rivers and Estuaries Science Program

Research program to undertake and support research across a wide range of disciplines to address knowledge gaps and inform management of the Swan Canning Riverpark.

Close up of a small black triangular seed in the dirty palm of a researcher

Species and Communities Program

Species and Communities Program coordinates the listing, management and recovery of threatened species, ecological communities and wetlands.