Blackash response to COVID-19

The Coronavirus known as COVID-19 is fundamentally changing the way we all work, collaborate and participate with our community. The evidence strongly suggests that in Australia, our response is at a watershed moment. While the growth of cases is starting to be exponential, it is...
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Change Management for the New Australian Fire Danger Ratings System

In September 2020, Lew Short led a series of national workshops in each State and Territory for the Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS) which is a nationally significant project to design and implement a new Fire Danger Rating (FDR) system for Australia. The AFDRS Board...
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Bushfires in Southeast Australia -summer and autumn

With much of eastern Australia in the grip of record drought, #bushfire weather will persist for months to come. The bushfire season in eastern Australia starts in North Queensland and moves south. The fires in northern NSW will continue to burn with new ignitions from accidents,...
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Lew Short – finalist in Industry Award

Lew Short has been recognised by the Fire Protection Association of Australia to be a finalist in this years Fire Protection Association of Australia Awards for the Ron Coffey Award for Excellence in Bushfire Protection. The Award is in honour of the tireless commitment and...
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Bushfire Opportunities & Constraints

  One of the fundamental questions clients have for us regarding the development of a site is what can we safely do and what are the legislative requirements for the development type. New development has considerable bushfire requirements from setback from the hazard, design...
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NSW Legislative Changes for infill development on bushfire prone land

As of 1 March 2018, cosmetic changes to the structure of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act), take effect as it relates to development in bushfire prone areas. Section 79BA is now section 4.14. Section 79BA of the Environmental Planning and Assessment...
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Our Approach…

The intent and vision of Blackash is simple – that we work in a niche, collaborating with clients to design, develop and implement innovative solutions in the bushfire, landuse, resilience, consequence management and emergency management space. We seek out complex emergency...
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Resilience & adaptation to the “new normal”

Natural disasters are a part of life. While we can’t predict when they will occur or the consequences that will manifest in our communities, we know they will happen. And when they happen, the affected communities will transform. It is unrealistic and narrow minded to think...
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Bushfires & living in the bush

Bushfire has been part of the natural environment of the Australian continent for thousands of years. The forest and grassland environments have adapted to accommodate this as have the original inhabitants. The frequency and intensity of bushfires varies throughout the landscape...
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Wayfinding – Learning from the Past

We are surrounded by clues to our past. As we design communities, planners give a nod to people, places or significant events that shape or give rise to that form. Examples might be “The Broadway” for a wide boulevard, “Scribbly Gum Crescent” for an area...
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