The AAFI 2024 Local Organising Committee is thrilled to announce the release of our dynamic three-day program.
This cutting-edge schedule features some of the most prominent international leaders in the field and includes a range of oral presentations selected from submitted abstracts. You’ll have the opportunity to engage with groundbreaking research and also enjoy time exploring the vibrant city of Western Sydney.
The AAFI 2024 program will feature presentations from the following themes:
Live it. Learn it. Pass it On.
There will be two streams for the conference:
- Lithium-ion batteries and Fire Investigation
- Wildfire Investigation
It would be great to receive abstracts with these in mind, but we are always interested in sharing experiences or research in the field of fire investigation.
Program Available NOW
Keynote Speakers
Cameron Novak
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Cameron Novak is a Senior Electrical and Fire Engineer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Fire Research Laboratory (FRL). Mr. Novak is a licensed electrical and fire protection engineer and assists with the investigation of fire and explosion incidents across the United States. Prior to working with ATF, Cameron worked in the private industry as a fire investigator and engineer and volunteered with the College Park (MD) Volunteer Fire Department and Harwood Fire and Rescue (ND). He is also an IAAI-CFI and a member of the ATF’s National Response Team and International Response Team.
Richard Woods
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- Richard commenced his interest in wildfires in Australia as Volunteer with the NSW Rural Fire (then Bushfire) Service in 1976;
- He later became a Police Officer in New South Wales and then worked in frontline fire management roles in the New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory Rural Fire Services, over a 39-year period;
- He qualified in Wildfire Investigation in 1994 in Australia and in 1995 in California USA.
- In 2001 he established the Fire Investigation capability for the New South Wales Rural Fire Service and managed that role for 9 years;
- 2010 saw him seconded to the Australian Federal Attorney Generals Department to develop National Bushfire Arson Prevention policy and was the first Co-Chair of the National Bushfire Arson Prevention Network Committee;
- He held the position of Deputy Chief Officer/Operations Manager of the ACT Rural Fire Service in Canberra, before retiring in 2019;
- Back in 2010, he established his private consultancy ‘Wildfire Investigations and Analysis’, delivering Wildfire Investigation training within Australia and internationally including South Korea, South-east Asia, the USA (Hawaii and Guam), the United Kingdom, Canada, India and The Netherlands;
- Over this time he has been engaged in a number of Bushfire litigation cases across Australia and has been retained by the NSW State Coroner regarding bushfire cause;
- In 2012 he provided advice to European Union Country members on Wildfire Investigation to The Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic; and more recently to the United Kingdom;
- In 2018 he was hired in the investigation of a serial wildfire arsonist in Alberta Canada and gave evidence in Canada regarding this case;
- He was the past Chair of the International Association of Arson Investigators, Wildland Fire Investigation Committee; Australian representative on the North American based National Wildfire Co-ordinating Group, Wildland Fire Investigation Team and is a former President of the NSW Chapter (47) of the International Association of Arson Investigators;
- Richard is also the Adjunct Associate Lecturer in Wildfire Investigation with Charles Sturt University and has completed a Graduate Diploma in Fire Investigation; Graduate Certificate in Applied Management at the Australian Institute of Police Management and a Diploma of Government (Investigation) during his career;
- In 2013 he was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal for his commitment to the field of Wildfire Investigation;
- Last year he published an internationally focussed book on the investigation of Serial Wildfire Arson.