Building resilient infrastructure

A national project between CSIRO and Optus is working to 
mitigate bushfire risks to telecommunications infrastructure.

What we’ve done

In Australia, bushfires are one of the biggest threats facing all 
industries that rely on critical infrastructure.

Since mid 2020, CSIRO and Optus have collaborated to assess 
the bushfire “loss potential” of all Optus sites across Australia 
and determine best-value upgrades to reduce vulnerability to 
bushfire hazards. Our aim has been to identify and mitigate 
bushfire risks to infrastructure and reduce hazards during 
extreme weather events such as bushfires.

As communities’ reliance on communications increases 
exponentially during emergencies, improving network 
resiliency is critical for Optus’ customers, and others who are 
seeking to contact emergency services by dialling “000”, a 
service which any available network will pick up.

How we did it

We studied and systematically profiled the potential and 
nature of impacts of embers, radiation and flame on and 
around Optus’ sites with telecommunications equipment. 
We used these learnings to assess which sites were most 
at risk, and what site design changes should be Optus’ 
commercial priority. 

What we’ve found

Optus is implementing the recommended mitigations at two 
of its sites in Victoria, Seville East and Dixons Creek, to act 
as showcase examples that a larger longer-term resiliency 
program can reference.

This project determined the best value return to reduce the 
network’s bushfire loss potential and underpinned in-house 
training to improve employees’ awareness of threats and 
preparedness to reduce them. Optus has also used these 
findings to identify and invest in the most impactful upgrades.

Importantly, this work provides learnings not just for Optus, 
but for any organisation that has infrastructure that may be 
under threat from bushfires.

As Australia’s national science agency 
and innovation catalyst, CSIRO is solving 
the greatest challenges through 
innovative science and technology.

CSIRO. Unlocking a better future for everyone.

Contact us

1300 363 400

csiro.au/contact

csiro.au

This illustration depicts some of the factors that threaten the resilience 
of telecommunication towers and supporting infrastructure.

Illustration by Sam Thompson.

This map shows how Optus infrastructure, such as the pictured Dixon’s 
Creek Site in Victoria, is assessed for fire threat or building loss 
potential. Each coloured dot shows the level of hazard that location 
presents to the Optus infrastructure in the centre of the image. 
Locations are analysed for ember, radiant and flame threat, with the 
red dots showing the highest threat due to vegetation, proximity and 
slope at those locations. Locations with green dots may still pose some 
risk to bushfire, but don’t pose as much of a threat to the infrastructure.