Fire Management

Rick has more than 50 years experience as a participant and leader in WA State, National and International forest and bushfire management programs, specialising in policy, operations, research, prescribed burning, management plans, training and emergency management.  His fire behaviour research resulted in the development of WA’s Forest Fire Behaviour Tables which is considered a world’s best practice fire behaviour and prescribed burning prediction system.

Rick was the WA Manager of CALM/DEC fire management from 1991-2010 covering all WA crown lands (approx. 108 million ha.). He has been responsible for refinement and delivery of WA’s bushfire prevention, detection, suppression and recovery programs. He was a pioneer in the development the Australian Interagency Incident Management System, and high level fire training programs. He has lead and contributed to the development of bushfire management plans for parks and reserves throughout WA.

Rick is recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in bushfire management, and has lead several Australian teams of bushfire control leaders to help combat large wild fires within USA and Canada. He has been the national chair of the Australasian Forest Fire Management Group, and Director of the Rural Fire Management Committee of the Australian Fire and Emergency Authorities (AFAC) and the Bushfire CRC. He has been a past member of the WA Bush Fires Board (BFB) and the WA State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC). He has been the conference program leader for the three International Wildland Fire Conferences in Sydney, Seville in Spain, and Sun City in South Africa.

Retired from WA Public Service since 2011, Rick is now a private bushfire consultant offering his extensive knowledge and experience in planning and implementation of bushfire mitigation, planning, research and training programs throughout the world. Rick is currently a committee member of the WA Bush Fire Front.

Rick was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) in 2009.