Sydney Airport

• Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO) (together with its subsidiaries, Assured Guaranty), the leading financial guaranty insurance company, has hired Melissa Gribble to expand its reach within the Australian market.
• “We are excited that Melissa has joined Assured Guaranty to lead our initiatives in the Australian market,” said Ms. Dar.
• Ms. Gribble will focus on sourcing new opportunities for Assured Guaranty’s financial guarantee business in the infrastructure, utilities and structured finance markets.
• “With its nearly 40-year track record of reliability and financial strength, Assured Guaranty has significant untapped potential in the Australian financial markets.

• Having already established itself as the best-in-class provider of accurate, reliable, and global ADS-B data, Aireon is leveraging its market-leading position to drive innovation in data analytics and products for the global airspace.
• In the 11 years since Aireon was created, we have become a critical part of the aviation infrastructure.
• And now, we are increasing our investment in the business to create new value-added aviation data products for the industry," said Don Thoma, Aireon CEO.
• In addition to investment in products, Aireon will be investing in talent as well; the company plans to hire for sales, business development, and engineering roles.

• Five cars were destroyed after a lithium battery ignited in a car parked at Sydney Airport on Monday.
• Despite these incidents, electric vehicle battery fires are rare.
• Indeed, the available data indicate the fire risk is between 20 and 80 times greater for petrol and diesel vehicles.

How common are these fires?

• From 2010 to June 2023, its database records only 393 verified fires globally, out of some 30 million electric vehicles on the road.
• Australia recorded only four electric vehicle battery fires over the same period.
• Read more:
  Australia’s adoption of electric vehicles has been maddeningly slow, but we’re well placed to catch up fast

Are the risks higher than for petrol or diesel cars?

• As electric vehicle numbers grow, this week’s reports might lead some people to fear fire risks will increase.
• However, data for the past 13 years suggest quite the opposite is true as electric vehicles replace petrol and diesel vehicles.
• The fleet of 4.4 million petrol and diesel vehicles recorded 3,400 fires (0.08%).
• While it was difficult to find similar global statistics for petrol and diesel vehicles, EV Firesafe used a range of country reports and found a much higher 0.1% risk of catching fire.

What causes electric vehicle fires?

• Electric vehicle battery packs store a lot of energy in a very small space.
• About 95% of battery fires are classed as ignition fires, which produce jet-like directional flames.
• Read more:
  How far to the next electric vehicle charging station – and will I be able to use it?

A battery fire is challenging

• Lithium battery fires burn at extremely high temperatures, can last for days and cause extensive damage.
• If not managed properly, battery fires can emit highly toxic gases and chemicals for many hours.
• Methods to control a fire include cooling the battery with water, or using a crane to lift the vehicle and submerge it in a large water container.

Why are the risks higher in e-scooters and e-bikes?

• In the first half of 2023, EV Firesafe data show they accounted for more than 500 battery fires, 138 injuries and 36 deaths worldwide.
• Over the same six months, 35 electric vehicle battery fires resulted in eight injuries and four deaths.
• The higher risk for e-scooters and e-bikes is mainly linked to poor-quality battery design and construction, and the use of unapproved chargers.

A national approach to electric vehicle fire safety

• As part of the strategy, the federal government committed to funding the development of world-leading guidance on electric vehicles, road rescue demonstrations and fire safety training.
• The surge in electric vehicle numbers means this funding is needed now to ensure firefighters can deal effectively with any fires that do happen.

• Amid the controversy surrounding preliminary flight paths for Western Sydney’s new airport, another potential challenge is looming: turtles on the tarmac.
• In recent years, a freshwater turtle was found wandering around Sydney Airport, which is built on Botany Bay.
• And at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, employees carried 1,300 turtles off the tarmac in one nesting season alone.
• Read more:
  Our turtle program shows citizen science isn't just great for data, it makes science feel personal

Western Sydney airport is turtle nesting habitat

• And data collected through the 1 Million Turtles citizen science tool TurtleSAT reveals Western Sydney is a roadkill hotspot.
• Wetlands, including the area around the new airport at Badgerys Creek, serve as prime nesting habitat.
• A spokesperson for Western Sydney airport, contacted for comment on this story, said all of the required wildlife and risk management procedures would be in place when the airport opens in late 2026.
• She said the turtle habitat was well outside of the airport site, so the risk of turtles on the runway was negligible.

Turtles at the crossroads

• Turtles are often little more than an afterthought in hectic construction plans and timetables.
• While groups such as Turtle Rescue NSW can relocate wildlife such as turtles, eels and fish, many animals die when streams and wetlands are drained and filled during development.
• This is important to ensure the long-term survival of turtles in the region.

It’s not too late for Western Sydney’s turtles

• The likely presence of turtles on runways at Western Sydney’s new airport warrants immediate attention.
• We acknowledge the vital contribution of Western Sydney University masters student Harriet Gabites to research on the turtles of Western Sydney and this article.
• James Van Dyke receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Federal Citizen Science program.