The Scale

Worldwide, the total area burned due to forest, wild and bushfires annually is 350* million
hectares.

In the key geographic regions of the US, Canada, Europe and Australia the annual area burned due to forest, wild and bushfires is as follows:

• US 3.5 million hectares*
• Canada 2 million hectares*
• Europe 500,000 hectares*
• Australia 430,000 hectares*

Fire suppression costs are increasing at a rate of >10% per annum**.

Given the extent of these challenges and the scope of the problem, the need for new ideas, tools and methods to combat wildfires is clear. At Wildfire Suppression our aim is simple; to respond to these challenges by developing new leading-edge technologies and products that assist firefighters, firefighting authorities and governments to safely, effectively and economically manage the phenomenon and devastating effects of wildfires.

_{*source: Jim Gould, Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO AFAC/Bushfire CRC Conference 8-10th Sept 2010.}

_{**source: CSIRO}