Future of Mount Elephant Firecam. DRAFT 26/9/2025 Chris Lang
A proven valuable tool to manage local wildfires and inform the public.
Introduction:
A lack of manned fire towers in the area makes it difficult to know what is happening on the fireground.
Lismore Group developed a “firecam” project to monitor and report on local wildfires.
Images are selected and available to CFA incident controllers, brigades and the general public.
After 7 years of “entry level” use we feel there is a need to develop a more permanent and robust system of equipment and management.
This system may be seen to be of use in other locations.
Aim of the Firecam:
To monitor the outbreak and development of incidents such as wildfires in the local area.
To advise the incident controllers and the public of these developments.
To observe the need for privacy.
To be seen to be worthwhile – for the long term for here, and as a pilot for elsewhere.
Real time images are currently posted on:
https://www.facebook.com/firecammountelephant
Some interesting images are of a fire on 8/2/2023 at the Dundonnell wind farm
(Best to visit the complete sequence on the site)
Details of the history the Mount Elephant Firecam and its use are at:
https://sites.google.com/site/visitmountelephant/links/f-webcam
https://sites.google.com/view/mtelephantfirecam/
Issues:
The current camera system and software needs an update.
We need a more reliable and independent solar power supply off the skyline.
The link to the internet needs to be more reliable, larger capacity and a faster speed.
The present operator and technical team need an update!
An update could make the system good for another 10 years.
Examples of the use of Firecam (all these have occurred):
Monitor the development and control of wildfires to assess the number of tankers needed.
Note whether a wildfire is likely to impact major infrastructure. (power, road, rail, wind towers)
Notify wind farm operators of any fire in their area. ICC notifies other infrastructure owners.
Act as a manned lookout on days of high fire danger when the manned towers are not up or have poor visibility.
Monitor the area during lightning storms and call in any ignitions to Firecom.
Monitor the tail end of brigade roadside burns if requested by burn control.
Verify if a fire call is for one or multiple fires.
Verify if a smoke sighting is of smoke or dust or spreading lime, gypsum.
Verify the location of a fire which is called in by the public. They often get the road names wrong or call in a registered stubble burn.
Monitor the progress of a train that has caused fires in other Group areas.
Monitor the highway when a vehicle is known to be causing fires.
Monitor any stubble burns which are lit outside of restriction wind or temperature parameters.
Take "weekly grassland curing" images for annual CFA fire preparedness project.
Potential development process:
Develop a project management team, members, guidelines, action plan.
Design and implement a governance structure of ownership, management, operation, construction, maintenance, viewing access.
Contact stakeholders for suggestions and approval
Agree on and find the most suitable equipment, mounting structure, viewing software platform. Find potential installers, get quotes and secure the funding. Then set it up!
Further information: Phone: 0408 547015. email: lismoregroup3324@gmail.com