Bushfires are unfortunately a part of life across much of Australia.  However, much can be done to prevent the inappropriate outbreak of bushfires across rural NSW through careful planning and sound policy.  Ensuring appropriate hazard reduction activity, particularly on public lands, is therefore a priority for rural landholders.  The Association is keen to see the implementation of a comprehensive Government policy capable of balancing ecological objectives and fire risk minimisation to enable a sensible fire management regime across the state.  As part of this regime, it is vitally important that fuel loads can be reduced without time consuming administrative processes that only exacerbate bushfire risk.

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) plays an essential role in the prevention and management of bushfires across the State.  The RFS has undertaken a number of reviews of relevance to bushfire prevention and management over the last 12 months, including reviews of Bush Fire Risk Management Plans, the Bush Fire Environmental Code and Bush Fire Management Committees.  The Association has been extremely fortunate in having strong support from members in contributing to these reviews, particularly the Association’s Bush Fire Taskforce.  The inclusion of local expertise resulted in the Central West (Canobolas) pilot recently being accepted as a Bush Fire Risk Management Plan.  This is a very positive step forward, as it fits the Association’s requirements for a map-based, tenure-blind approach to fuel reduction and land management zones.

Related Issues

Hotspots Project
The Hotspots Fire Project is an innovative pilot project looking at how fire can be managed to conserve biodiversity and other natural assets.  NSW Farmers Association has been closely involved with the Hotspots Project since its inception, including the four trials in the Northern Rivers, Southern Rivers, Hawkesbury-Nepean and Central West.  Click here to view the Hotspots case study features Rural Affairs Committee member Graham Brown and his experience with the Canobolas Plan.

Bushfires Update
Please click here for a brief update on Bush Fire Management Committees, Bush Fire Risk Management Plans, the Canobolas Pilot and the Bush Fire Environmental Assessment Code.  This document is intended to provide a quick snapshot of the key reforms and reviews that have taken place in recent years.

New Environmental Assessment Code
The revised Bush Fire Environmental Assessment Code took effect 1 February 2006.  Instead of landholders having to negotiate their way through a raft of environmental legislation in order to carry out hazard reduction activities, the Code enables RFS officers to conduct a free environmental assessment using the Code when landholders apply for a Bush Fire Hazard Reduction Certificate.  The Code has been under revision over the last year, consisting of interdepartmental committee workshops and public exhibition phases, which have resulted in many positive changes to the previous Code.  The revised Code is available at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au.

Bushfire Royal Commission
At the Association’s recent Annual Conference, delegates expressed unanimous support for a Federal Royal Commission of Inquiry into bushfire fuel and suppression management.  Val Jeffery, a bush fire fighter of over fifty years, a volunteer brigade captain for thirty years, and a past Chair of the ACT Bush Fire Council has initiated a petition to assist in lobbying Government for a Royal Commission.  Click here for further information or click here to download the petition.

Hazard Reduction Flowchart
Click here to see the flow chart to show primary producers the steps to follow when they want to burn off, either for hazard reduction purposes or as a routine agricultural practice. For the latest news on bushfires including hazard reduction notices please visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website www.bushfire.nsw.gov.au/.

Federal Bushfire Inquiry
Click here to view a copy of the Submission to the federal inquiry into the 2002-2003 summer bushfire disaster.

Submission to NSW Parliament inquiry into Bushfires
It is essential that the declining levels and increasing impediments to achieving effective levels of hazard reduction activity across NSW be urgently addressed to reduce the intensity of future bush fires.  Click here to view a copy of the submission.