Irrigated Green Firebreaks on Wildland-Urban Interfaces: A Conceptual Design Framework Informed by Noosa Shire, Australia

Jady Damien Smith; Anthony Power; Francis E. Putz; Sam Van Holsbeeck

doi:10.3390/fire9090390

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Irrigated Green Firebreaks on Wildland-Urban Interfaces: A Conceptual Design Framework Informed by Noosa Shire, Australia

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Irrigated Green Firebreaks on Wildland-Urban Interfaces: A Conceptual Design Framework Informed by Noosa Shire, Australia

Jady Damien Smith, Anthony Power, Francis E. Putz and Sam Van Holsbeeck

Fire , Vol.9(9), pp.1-18

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/fire9090390

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Abstract

irrigated green fire-break (iGFB)

wildland urban interface (WUI)

green firebreak (GFB)

green infrastructure

fire regulating ecosystem service

emerging technologies

Wildfire risks are increasing due to climate change, which poses a challenge to conventional firefighting strategies. In the wildland–urban interface (WUI), people and their infrastructure are increasingly vulnerable to fire. Strategic planting of low-flammable vegetation as green firebreaks has emerged to support wildfire management in the WUI. However, under extreme heat and drought, even low-flammability plants become fuel, contributing to fire spread and intensity. This paper presents a conceptual design framework for irrigated green firebreaks (iGFBs), which does not seek fine detail, or transferability, but rather it provides the initial concept for integrating vegetation design with supplemental irrigation to maintain fuel moisture and enhance fire-regulating ecosystem services. The framework is structured around landscape contexts, priority ecosystem services, integrated design solutions, and implementation considerations. A case study in Noosa Shire, Queensland, Australia, demonstrates how urban water reuse, including greywater and rainwater, can provide the needed irrigation in a WUI landscape. The iGFB concept highlights the potential to reduce fire intensity and slow fire spread while delivering co-benefits such as localised cooling and enhanced biodiversity. While the framework is site-responsive, its underlying principles are transferable to other WUI settings. Further research is required to evaluate the effectiveness of iGFBs under different fire and climate scenarios.

Details

Title: Irrigated Green Firebreaks on Wildland-Urban Interfaces: A Conceptual Design Framework Informed by Noosa Shire, Australia
Authors: Jady Damien Smith (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
Anthony Power - University of the Sunshine Coast
Francis E. Putz - University of the Sunshine Coast
Sam Van Holsbeeck - University of the Sunshine Coast
Publication details: Fire , Vol.9(9), pp.1-18
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date published: 2026
DOI: 10.3390/fire9090390
ISSN: 2571-6255
Copyright note: © 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
Data Availability: The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author due to site sensitivity.
Grant note: The lead author’s PhD studies were supported by scholarships from the University of the Sunshine Coast and Natural Hazards Research Australia.
Organisation Unit: Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; Forest Industries Research Centre; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991258856502621
Output Type: Journal article

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