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Kevin Tolhurst

Senior Lecturer, Fire Ecology and Management, University of Melbourne
Kevin Tolhurst is Senior Lecturer in Fire Ecology and Management in the Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science, University of Melbourne based in Creswick and a member of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre.

Kevin provides expert advice on fire behaviour and fire suppression strategies at major bushfires. Some recent examples include the Black Saturday fires in Victoria in 2009, and the Great Divide Fires in 2007. Kevin has been involved in several inquiries and court cases involving fires including: Linton Coronial Inquiry, Canberra Coronial Inquiry, House of Representative 2003 Inquiry, 2005 Wangary Coronial Inquiry S.A., the 2008 Parliamentary Inquiry into the 2007 fires in Victoria, and the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.

Kevin’s current research activities are centred around developing a bushfire risk management decision support system to be used nationally. This work has been a core activity in the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre since 2003.

His research and consulting interests include:
• Wildfire behaviour prediction
• Development of prescribed burning techniques and guidelines
• Landscape scale fire ecology management
• Fire risk management
• Ecological impacts of repeated fires

http://www.forestscience.unimelb.edu.au/people/staff/kevin_tolhurst/index.html
http://www.bushfirecrc.com/research/a41/a41.html

The burn legacy: why the science on hazard reduction is contested

Feb 25, 2020 13:20 pm UTC| Insights & Views

When it comes to reducing the extent of bushfires, scientists disagree on the best way to do it. Hazard reduction burning (also known as prescribed burning or controlled burning) is controversial and, depending on the...

We have already had countless bushfire inquiries. What good will it do to have another?

Jan 16, 2020 09:53 am UTC| Insights & Views Nature

As our country battles the most extensive fires of our lifetime, there are increasing calls for a royal commission into the states and territories preparedness and the federal governments response to the disaster. A...

What has Australia learned from Black Saturday?

Feb 07, 2019 14:45 pm UTC| Insights & Views Business

Black Saturday was a day like no other; it will be forever remembered in the history of bushfire disasters in Australia. The fires burned about 300,000 hectares in a single day; 173 human lives were lost and more than...

Economy

Gold Prices Ease in Asian Trade After Record High as Geopolitical Tensions Cool

Gold prices retreated in Asian trading on Thursday after reaching an all-time high in the previous session, as easing geopolitical tensions and a firmer U.S. dollar reduced safe-haven demand. The pullback followed comments...

Australian Dollar Hits 15-Month High as Strong Jobs Data Fuels Rate Hike Bets

The Australian dollar surged to a 15-month high on Thursday, supported by improving global risk sentiment and a surprisingly strong domestic employment report that reshaped expectations for Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)...

Valero Makes First Venezuelan Crude Purchase Under New U.S.-Caracas Deal

Valero Energy has purchased a cargo of Venezuelan crude oil in what sources describe as the first transaction by a U.S. Gulf Coast refiner under Washingtons recent agreement with Caracas, which allows the purchase of up to...

Australia Jobs Data Surges as Unemployment Falls in December

Australias labour market delivered a strong surprise in December, significantly outperforming expectations and reinforcing signs that economic conditions remain tight. According to official data released by the Australian...

Japan Exports Rise Fourth Month as Yen Weakness Lifts Trade Outlook

Japans exports increased for a fourth consecutive month in December, highlighting the resilience of the countrys trade sector despite slower shipments to the United States. According to government data released Thursday,...

Politics

New York Judge Orders Redrawing of GOP-Held Congressional District

A New York judge has ruled that the congressional district represented by Republican U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis violates the state constitution and must be redrawn, a decision that could have major political...

NATO Chief Says Greenland Sovereignty Not Discussed as Trump Backs Off Tariff and Force Threats

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the question of Greenlands sovereignty did not arise during his recent discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump, signaling a shift in tone after Trump stepped back from earlier...

Supreme Court Signals Doubts Over Trump’s Bid to Fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook

U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday signaled strong skepticism toward President Donald Trumps unprecedented effort to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, raising serious questions about presidential power and...

Spain Pushes for EU Joint Army to Strengthen European Security and Deterrence

Spain is calling on the European Union to move toward the creation of a joint European army, arguing that deeper military integration would strengthen deterrence and ensure the bloc can defend itself against external...

Trump Administration Launches Immigration Enforcement Operation in Maine Amid Political Tensions

The Trump administration has launched a new immigration enforcement operation in Maine, drawing sharp criticism from state leaders and immigrant advocacy groups as federal agents increase their presence in refugee-rich...

Science

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

Apple China Holiday Sale Offers Discounts Up to 1,000 Yuan on Popular Devices

Apple has announced a limited-time promotional campaign in China, offering discounts of up to 1,000 yuan (approximately $143.60) on selected products, including iPhones, Macs, iPads, and Apple Watches. According to...

Memory Chip Shortage Drives Higher Gadget Prices and Weakens Global Tech Demand

Global demand for smartphones, personal computers, and gaming consoles is expected to decline this year as rising memory chip prices force manufacturers to increase product prices. Major electronics brands, ranging from...

Morgan Stanley Flags High Volatility Ahead for Tesla Stock on Robotaxi and AI Updates

Morgan Stanley has warned that Teslas fourth-quarter earnings could lead to an unusually wide range of outcomes for the stock, with investor reaction likely driven less by near-term financials and more by updates on...

Apple Stock Jumps as Company Prepares Major Siri AI Chatbot Upgrade

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares climbed as much as 1.6% on Wednesday afternoon after a Bloomberg News report revealed that the tech giant is preparing a major overhaul of Siri, signaling Apples most significant move yet...

HKEX’s Permissive IPO Rules Could Open Opportunities for Korea to Strengthen Its Position in International Listings

In 2025, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) became the premier venue for initial public offerings (IPOs) globally, having raised nearly US$36 billion from new listings. This notable 200% year-on-year increase is directly...