Understanding Wildfire Impact on Freight Operations in Dundas

The Challenge

Wildfires present a risk to transport infrastructure, particularly in regions where vegetation, climate, and terrain contribute to fire activity.

For the Shire of Dundas, the challenge was to understand how wildfire risk may affect freight routes across the region.

The region had previously experienced major wildfire impacts across approximately 550,000 hectares, with critical supply routes including the Eyre Highway affected by disruption.

Key questions included:

• Which sections of freight routes are more exposed to wildfire risk?
• Where could fire activity disrupt transport access?
• How is wildfire risk distributed across the road network?

While wildfire hazard data exists, it is not always easy to relate this information directly to specific transport routes.

The Solution

Geoneon analysed freight routes within the Shire of Dundas in relation to wildfire risk.

This involved:

• mapping key transport routes across the region
• assessing wildfire risk across the surrounding landscape
• identifying where routes intersect with higher-risk areas
• wildfire severity hazard mapping
• fuel modelling
• identification of critical infrastructure
• exposure and vulnerability analysis of infrastructure and supply chains

The result was a spatial analysis showing how wildfire risk aligns with freight corridors.

By linking hazard data directly to transport infrastructure, the analysis provides a clearer view of where wildfire may affect access along key routes.

The Results

The analysis provided the Shire of Dundas with a clearer understanding of wildfire exposure across its freight routes.

Key outcomes included:

• identification of sections of the road network exposed to higher wildfire risk
• improved visibility of where disruption may occur
• a spatial view of wildfire risk across key transport corridors

These insights support:

• better awareness of risk along freight routes
• more informed consideration of potential disruptions
• improved understanding of how wildfire risk may affect regional connectivity

By connecting wildfire risk to transport infrastructure, the analysis helps highlight where access may be more vulnerable to fire activity.