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From Firestick to Satellites Technological Advancement and Indigenous Cultural Practice in Managing Forest Fires in Australia793.64 kB
Published VersionCC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
From Firestick to Satellites: Technological Advancement and Indigenous Cultural Practice in Managing Forest Fires in Australia
The Historic Environment: Policy & Practice, Vol.16(1), pp.143-166
2025
Abstract
Australia’s interaction with forest fires highlights the interplay of geography, climate, and ecosystems. This research explores the evolution of fire management practices, from ancient Indigenous ‘firestick farming’ to modern strategies using remote sensing and predictive modelling. For millennia, Indigenous Australians used controlled burns to manage landscapes, promoting ecological health and reducing wildfire risks. The disruption of these practices by European settlers in the late 18th century, through land clearing and the introduction of non-native species, led to increased fuel loads and more severe wildfires. The 20th century brought significant technological advancements to fire management, including motorised fire trucks, aircraft, and improved communication systems. However, the real revolution came with the introduction of remote sensing and early warning systems. These technologies enabled real-time monitoring and predictive insights, significantly enhancing fire management. Today, predictive modelling and machine learning further improve fire management by enabling precise forecasting and efficient resource allocation. This research underscores the crucial role of integrating Indigenous knowledge and community engagement with modern strategies for sustainable fire management. As climate change increases wildfire risks, adapting to these challenges is more important than ever. Australia’s approach, which blends traditional wisdom with modern science, serves as a global model for effective wildfire management.
Details
- Title
- From Firestick to Satellites: Technological Advancement and Indigenous Cultural Practice in Managing Forest Fires in Australia
- Authors
- Harikesh Singh (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringSanjeev Kumar Srivastava - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Publication details
- The Historic Environment: Policy & Practice, Vol.16(1), pp.143-166
- Publisher
- Routledge
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1080/17567505.2024.2425246
- ISSN
- 1756-7513; 1756-7505
- Copyright note
- © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any med-ium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. The terms on which this articlehas been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
- Grant note
- We thank the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, and SmartSat CRC for their generous support for this PhD research.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Sustainability Research Cluster
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991085398802621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Web Of Science research areas
- Humanities, Multidisciplinary
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