Hotspots

Hotspots is a community engagement program that provides private landholders and land managers with the skills and knowledge to actively participate in fire management for the protection of life and property, while at the same time ensuring biodiversity is protected and maintained.

The program is delivered by NSW RFS Officers based at our Customer Service Centres and includes a number of field days which cover:

Understanding Fire

Landholders gain a better understanding of risk management and fire ecology through spending time in the field with ecologists, local fire authorities, land managers and other relevant organisations.

Developing a Fire Management Plan

Landholders develop their own fire management plans in cooperation with their neighbours (both public land managers such as National Parks and private neighbours) and begin to build a better understanding of the role of fire in their local area. The end result is a map-based fire management action plan.

A Demonstration Burn

This field day provides a hands-on experience in preparing a burn site, estimating fuel loads, considering weather factors, reviewing fire behaviour and undertaking a risk assessment. Landholders then observe a demonstration burn conducted by the NSW RFS and other agencies.

Example of Hotspots Program in the Northern Tablelands of NSW

The Hotspots Training Program is jointly managed by the NSW RFS and the Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC). Hotspots would like to thank the following project partners for their support:

Nature Conservation Council of NSW
Office of Environment and Heritage
National Parks and Wildlife Service
Local Land Services
Forestry Corporation
NSW Farmers
Local Government NSW
University of Wollongong
South East Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium

For more information on the Hotspots Program, fire management planning information and other resources please contact the Hotspots Program at the NSW RFS on (02) 8741 5555 or email hotspots@rfs.nsw.gov.au or visit the Hotspots website.