Australia’s Chief Scientist Professor Penny D Sackett delivers the Third Australian Red Cross National Oration at the Australian National Univeristy.

• 26 August 2009

This third Red Cross Oration titled: Our future climate – living with fires now and into the future…Understanding the science of fires in Australia and celebrating the spirit of renewal and recovery is a multifaceted speech that touches on the role of the Chief Scientist and the science of bushfires – both adapting to them and recovery after fires.

The data shows that more and larger fires can be predicted if we cannot change the trajectories of global warming. The Chief Scientist will explore the ways in which science can help us predict the frequency of bushfire weather in the future, as well as avoid or adapt to more frequent and more intense fires in the future.

While bushfires are part of Australia’s natural environment, we can help damaged ecosystems so they adapt more quickly after fires by enhancing their resilience through ecological engineering.

Science can also help with human recovery – not only helping rebuild infrastructure and redesigning suburbs so that homes and other buildings are less at risk from bushfires, but also with the recovery of people after a fire. Both the physical and emotional scars left by bushfires are potent and debilitating. It is hoped that science can assist many on their long and difficult recovery from trauma.

The full speech can be viewed or listened to below:

Our future climate – living with fires now and into the future