The Bushfire and Natural Hazards Co-operative Research Centre has appointed two new directors.

Greg Ayers is a former Bureau of Meteorology director and Chief of the CSIRO Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research.

He will chair the research and utilisation committee as an independent director, replacing Professor Alistar Robertson who has retired.

Stephanie Rotarangi is the current Deputy Chief Officer at the Victorian Country Fire Authority, and a former Chief Fire Officer at the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

She replaces Paul Smith , who has taken up a new Victorian Government position.