ABSTRACT
Fire services and the broader community have traditionally given little consideration to preventing bushfires caused by firesetters and convicted arsonists. Trends of population growth and climate change lead to an increased urgency to prevent the occurrence of firesetting in the bush. Most community fire programmes are aimed at promoting and guiding household responsibility for reducing the chances of fire causing injury, loss of life, with few being specifically directed towards the prevention of firesetting. A place-based programme for the prevention of firesetting, the Gippsland Arson Prevention Programme, has been operating in Victoria, Australia. The New South Wales Fire and Rescue Service targets parents with information about fire safety for children. Various forms of surveillance of suspicious behaviour of known and suspected firesetters, and of particular locations on high fire risk days, are increasingly undertaken by police and fire personnel. The Bushfires Royal Commission Implementation Monitor notes the barriers present around organisational culture, communication, coordination, interoperability, information collation and sharing.
