N P (Phil) Cheney PSM. FIFA, BScFor(Melb), DipFor, was senior principal research scientist, Division of Forestry, CSIRO. He was head of CSIRO’s bushfire research from 1975 to 2001. He has forty years of experience in research into bushfires including bushfire behaviour, prescribed burning, mass fires, fire ecology, aerial and ground suppression, firefighter physiology, firefighter safety, heat transfer, home protection and water catchment hydrology. He was awarded the CSIRO medal for outstanding research achievement in the application of fire science for safer firefighting and safer communities.