Bushfires: Inside the Inferno

In Australia, our bushfire season commences earlier and earlier and on the verge of another sweltering summer, the battle rages as we go Inside the Inferno in this 2-part documentary series exploring the deadly natural enemy that affects us all. Nowhere is as ravaged by fire as Australia. 2013 was the hottest year on record and our land was ablaze. Australia has the largest firefighting force in the world with a volunteer army of over 200,000 - double that of the military. More than a million Australians live in danger on the fringes of the fire zone. Bushfires – Inside The Inferno is the most comprehensive examination ever attempted of the science of Australian bushfires, and delves into the terrifying heart of major fire events, unfolding the research that explains how fires start, grow and change.

On The Frontline – In recent years fire-fighting has been revolutionised with an array of technology, much of it making the transition from warzone to the fire zone. The Erickson aircrane is able to suck up 9,000 litres of water in just 45 seconds and with the nickname ‘Elvis’ is a rockstar of modern firefighting. The FLIR – Forward Looking Infrared Camera can see through haze and smoke to pinpoint burning hotspots. The fight has gone intergalactic as laser based satellites are called into battle and fires can now be detected with high accuracy from space. Witness Australia’s first drone test as it flies over a fire at night providing real time data on the movement of a blaze.