Bushfire expert David Packham says ignoring the need for fuel reduction is “throwing knowledge [away]” that has existed since “Indigenous times” and which has been gathered from scientific research. “Clearing around the house will contribute but will not necessarily save it” the former CSIRO scientist told Sky News host Andrew Bolt. “The overwhelming thing that determines if the house survives or not is the fire intensity around it," he said. Mr Packham said the authorities have conducted some successful fuel reduction burns but at the same time there are poorly executed attempts that have been “put on the books as a successful burn. “One of the good things that Morrison is likely to be doing is finding ways which this can be monitored and this can be known to people”. Image: News Corp Australia