RACT will invest up to $1.2 million over four years in the University of Tasmania’s Fire Centre.

The partnership aims to increase property resilience and inform decision-making when bushfires threaten. 

“These funds will support research focused on real-world implementation ... as well as trials of innovative household preparedness programs designed to incentivise risk-reducing actions,” RACT CEO Mark Mugnaioni said. “We can make communities safer and address long-term insurance accessibility issues.”

Fire is Tasmania’s biggest natural hazard, and climate change is increasing its frequency and intensity, RACT says. 

University vice chancellor Rufus Black says the partnership brings together “two very different kinds of expertise” – science at the Fire Centre and “deep community reach” through RACT.

“Working together in this way means we can ensure research is applied where it matters most.”