As we approach Spring, there is a heightened chance that wildfires might develop across Australia. The perennial question as to whether the traditional firefighting methods, such as back burning and ‘cool fire’ hazard reduction, are effective and sufficient to prevent conflagrations, will soon resurface in the press.

Curiously, the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements established after the disastrous 2019-20 Summer bushfires did not directly address this question.