Sharing Victoria's fire management expertise with Nepal

For the first time, a contingent of Nepali fire and forest management professionals have visited Victoria to learn from our fire experience. The visitors were hosted in Victoria by the Australian Himalayan Foundation through the Australia Awards Fellowships program.

Australia Awards are prestigious international Scholarships and Fellowships funded by the Australian Government. The fellowships aim to build networks of influence and leadership by strengthening partnerships between Australian organisations and partner organisations in the region.

Fellowships target senior and mid-career officials and professionals who are in a position to advance development outcomes and increase the institutional capacity of partner countries through their leadership.

The program

The 4-week fellowship, held in Victoria and New South Wales, is designed to strengthen Nepal’s capacity to manage and respond to climate-induced bushfires. The group spent two weeks in Central Victoria training with Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) as part of the month long professional development visit.

The fellows participated in pre-season operational briefings, bushfire awareness training, and field exercises designed to build practical firefighting skills.

They learnt about fuel reduction burns, visited recent bushfire-affected areas, and compared outcomes between planned burns and uncontrolled fires to see how proactive fire management protects communities and ecosystems.

Safety first

Vince Cafari, FFMVic Workcentre Operations Coordinator, planned for FFMVic led training activities to be comprehensive and practical.

Safety was the central focus of the FFMVic training, which underpins every stage of Victoria’s fire management approach. From planning and risk assessment to fieldwork and incident response, safety ensures that crews can operate effectively while protecting the community.

'Safety is forefront of what we do. If it’s not safe, we don’t do it. We highlighted the importance of doing things safely,' Mr Cafari said.

Cultural burns

The program also included a session about Traditional Owners, where fellows learnt about cultural burning practices and the connection between fire, Country, and community.

Both nations recognise that valuing these traditional practices support healthier, more resilient landscapes.

'It’s important for FFMVic because it’s an opportunity for us to share our knowledge and experiences, but also to get from the Nepali Fellows their experiences and their stories,' said Vince.

The 15 fellows were selected from 10 Nepalese organisations, including ForestAction Nepal, and the Ministry of Forest and Environment, for their leadership in fire management and potential to drive change.