Kevin was widely respected amongst government agencies and the communities where he worked. His bushfire knowledge was grounded in a practical understanding and experience of the forestry industry. He had a central role in many post-bushfire enquiries.

An academic researcher with a rare communication gift, Kevin was in demand as a presenter and travelled the country, conveying with urgency the most effective methods of preparing a community or a property for the threat of bushfire. He was his own man when it came to media interviews or articles.

Kevin was a generous supporter of those who sought his help and this extended to BRI. He presented on numerous webinars and was always there with feedback and encouragement. Kevin was a gentle man, a wonderful mentor and good friend to many. BRI’s resources of bushfire safety information stand on the platform built by the expertise of giants like Kevin Tolhurst. And for Kevin, it was never just his formal expertise. The respect paid to him came from his generosity in the time he gave to communities and how he shared his knowledge.

His work on modelling the spread of fires and testing the simulations against observed fires preceded the massive advances in computing capabilities and data availability on the variations and complexities of factors influencing the spread of bushfires. Kevin Tolhurst’s legacy is that the rest of us now understand that we need to know how bushfires spread and what the consequences can be for where we live.

Kevin was widely respected by Australian and international organisations and there is universal agreement that his passing is a significant loss not just to those who loved or knew him but to the whole community.

Thank you Kevin Tolhurst