With strong winds forecast to keep the catastrophic Los Angeles winter bushfires burning for days, communications during fire emergencies are again top of mind in Australia.
Like the US, Australia is prone to bushfires during different seasons, depending on the location, but summers can be particularly brutal along the East Coast after long periods of dry.
The rugged nature of much of the land, the remoteness of many citizens, the infrastructure costs involved in building and maintaining fixed communications towers in rural and regional areas, ever-advancing technologies such as drone and satellite, and the end of 3G, make it hugely challenging to formulate and implement strategies.
The ANU-Optus Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence recently released a report outlining a national pathway to implement emerging aviation technologies for bushfire management and improved commuincations.
“The dependence of modern society on mobile communications, and the growing use of apps on mobile phones and electronic data pads for fire management logistics, including personnel and asset tracking as well as aviation management, makes it critical to ensure mobile coverage during an emergency situation, even in the event that fixed communication towers are damaged or destroyed,” the report states.
Telstra phone charging option.
It notes the “transformative capabilities offered by Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in the context of emergency management and bushfire response”, and outlines the “challenges and obstacles to successfully using RPAS within the existing bushfire management context”.
Finally, it advocates for a nationally coordinated approach between government and fire agencies to effectively translate drone technology into operational use in Australia.
A chapter in the report deals specifically with maintaining communications, which is “essential for safe and effective bushfire management operations and public safety, particularly in remote areas with limited communication infrastructure”.
“Certain parts of the landscape have limited or no communication infrastructure, or may be subject to communication outages due to infrastructure damage during bushfires.
“Maintaining reliable communications is likely to become more important with increasing use of aviation technology and as larger fires potentially cause more frequent infrastructure damage.”
The majority of communications today are via the internet, mobile and fixed line phones and radio.
“Emergency radio towers in particular are important for maintaining communications in remote areas during fire activity,” the report states.
However, it also says the emergence of satellite-based communications “may also facilitate more robust communications”.
Telstra response team.
It says drone communication infrastructure can provide reliable communication during fire management procedures and ensure secure communications with “vulnerable fire fighting crew and members of the public”.
“While emerging satellite based communications also address this problem, RPAS may be a solution when satellite communications are unavailable or in topographically complex regions that are not well-served by other platforms.”
In time the capacity for drones to host short range communication platforms “may become important for managing fire fighting personnel and assets including RPAS and other aviation technology. This technology is not uniquely relevant to fire management and could be used across a range of emergency situations”.
Drones have the capacity to act as temporary communications platforms for both ongoing fire management operations in remote areas, and when infrastructure is damaged by fire, the report says.
“Investment in this technology was specifically recommended by the 2020 New South Wales Bushfire Inquiry. Smaller platforms such as multirotor RPAS may be sufficient for providing communication support during small operations such as prescribed burns.
“If these vehicles are tethered then they can be powered through the tether and have effectively unlimited flight time.”
For major communications outages, long endurance hover platforms such as dirigibles “may be a better solution”.
In November 2024 Telstra released updated guidance on preparing communications ahead of bushfires or floods:
- If you don’t already have one, purchase a phone charger that isn’t dependent on a power outlet. A popular choice is a “power bank” battery pack that can be charged from a power outlet prior to an event and used if grid electricity is unavailable, or a portable solar panel charger or in-car charger.
- Back up your data. Check out ePrepared – a free online self-help tool from Telstra and Justice Connect.
- Store a list of essential contact numbers for your local Police, Fire, SES teams as well as friends and family on your phone and as a non-electronic, ideally waterproofed, backup. Telstra’s dedicated disaster assistance number is 1800 888 888. When you have your list of essential numbers, make sure you make a printed copy to keep in your wallet, purse or bag, and keep a version in your car as well.
- Consider a satellite phone. In rural and regional areas, a satellite phone should usually be independent of any damaged infrastructure and can operate in remote locations. If your communications are critical or if you are in an isolated area, a satellite phone backup could come in handy. And if you only have one, make sure it is charged and accessible in the event you do need to use it.
- Consider a repeater device. Coverage on the Telstra mobile network depends on where you are, the mobile handset, tablet or mobile broadband device you’re using, and whether an external antenna can be attached. It’s important to understand that different devices have different capabilities. Legal network coverage extension devices amplify the network signal your mobile device receives, which extends the area that your device can work in.
- It’s important to note that boosters are illegal to own or operate on any network in Australia, and they can disrupt or even prevent others from making calls to emergency 000. Legal wireless network coverage extension devices, such as the Telstra Mobile Smart Antenna and Telstra Go, are also known as “repeaters” as they repeat the signal from one location to another.
- Since the NBN carries your home phone line, it will be unavailable during a power outage. It’s best to have a mobile phone or satellite phone handy for this instance, especially in remote areas.
- Enable Wi-Fi calling. Telstra has switched on SMS over Wi-Fi, allowing you to receive texts via your fixed line connection when you’re in Wi-Fi coverage.
In October 2023 Optus announced it had “upgraded fire resiliency at 40 mobile base stations across Australia to protect crucial communications ahead of the bushfire season”.
“Families and residents rely on the network more than ever during emergency incidents, such as bushfires, to remain informed with the latest developments, keep in contact with loved ones and maintain connections to their communities,” Optus said.
Optus mobile comms.
The telco said it applied CSIRO research information on local bushfire weather, fuel load, vegetation and topography “to identify base stations at greatest risk”.
It also invested in nine next-generation, satellite-powered mobile base stations (SatCats) “that are simple to deploy, have high bandwidth and offer 3G, 4G, and Wi-Fi connectivity”. 3G? That was then.
It added 148 new Critical Power eXtender (CPX) battery solutions that can provide up to 10 to 20 hours of continuous service to mobile sites clusters in the event of a power failure.
Example RPAS Mission
“Combined with the active fire intelligence example, a medium to large, fixed wing RPAS with significant endurance (>12 hours) could be equipped with radios and a 4G repeater.
“Such a vehicle will be equipped with technology, such as ADS-B and detect and avoid, to transit through either controlled or G-class (uncontrolled) airspace.
“Once in place, the RPAS will loiter at best endurance speed for 12+hours, remaining above the active vehicles providing connectivity to ground and air assets which suffer terrain blanking or are outside of coverage.”
