Learning from Wye river and Separation creek: Towards improved community bushfire safety

Abstract

Safety in human settlements is the result of a complex interplay between the existing physical forms of places, including natural and human made elements, the particular hazards faced, and the capabilities of people and services in the face of potential threats. The Wye River and Separation Creek fires of Christmas Day 2015 represent a disaster in which a small community’s capabilities were overwhelmed by bushfires. The current paper reviews documentation of the fire’s progression and the main factors of its interaction with these settlements. This documentation is then used to pose key directions for improvement and initial lessons learnt regarding the factors impacting upon community safety in the fires, as a key element of adaptive recovery.