Why we need a plan

Bush Fire Risk Management Plans are an effective instrument for managing risk to human activity and valued community and environmental assets. They are a key component in a multifaceted bush fire management approach for NSW.

Developed using robust data and sophisticated technology and modelling, the plans determine risk factors and develop solutions that best mitigate them.

Feedback from the exhibition of a draft plan for Illawarra is currently being assessed. Public feedback will be taken into consideration as the plan is finalised by the Illawarra Bush Fire Management Committee before being sent to the Bush Fire Coordinating Committee for review.

Current Bush Fire Risk Management Plan for Illawarra

The Bush Fire Risk Management Plan for Illawarra was published on 30 March 2017.

These plans identify the bush fire risks in each location and sets out the types of work scheduled to deal with the risk of bush fires.

Bush Fire Risk Management Plans are updated within every five-year period, however, the treatments and works set out in the plans are subject to change on a yearly basis due to fire activity, weather and new risk factors. This plan may not have been updated with the latest treatment and works plans/information.

View the current plan for Illawarra

Illawarra Bush Fire Management Committee is made up of a range of stakeholders from the area including emergency services, land management agencies, local government and local Aboriginal land services, and local community groups. This ensures key community stakeholders have a say on bush fire management activities for the benefit of their communities.

Illawarra Bush Fire Management Committee is made up of the following representatives:

  • NSW Rural Fire Service
  • NSW Department of Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (Crown Lands)
  • Ausgrid
  • Endeavour Energy
  • Fire and Rescue NSW
  • Local Aboriginal Land Council
  • Nature Conservation Council of NSW
  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • NSW Police Force
  • Transport for NSW
  • Wollongong City Council
  • Kiama Municipal Council
  • Shellharbour City Council
  • WaterNSW
  • NSW Health
  • Transgrid
  • NSW Farmers' Association
  • Sydney Trains
  • GM3
  • Wollongong Coal

The Illawarra Bush Fire Management Committee area spans 112,930 hectares. The area covers the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama and features National Parks covering an area of 14,094ha (12.4% of the BMFC area).

The Illawarra area has approximately 96% bushland and 2% grassland with the balance being the built environment or water bodies. A bush or grass fire can happen at any time of the year, but the risk is higher during the warmer months, when bush, grass or scrub is drier.

  • According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census Community Profile there are 86,119 residential dwellings in the Illawarra BFMC area with an approximate population of 202,171.
  • According to the ABS data on the counts of Australian businesses, there were 7,329 businesses in the Illawarra BFMC area. The top three included construction, Rental, Hiring and Real Estate and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services accounting for approximately 48% of businesses in the Illawarra BFMC area.
  • The last major bush fire happened in the 2012/13 bush fire season with 1,387 hectares burned.
  • There are several valuable community assets across the area along with a number of culturally significant sites and environmentally important sites.

Bush fire survival plan

Getting ready for a bush fire is easier than you think. Make a bush fire survival plan so you know what you will do if there’s a fire near you.

Prepare your home

A well-prepared home is more likely to survive a bush fire. Even if your plan is to leave early, the more you prepare your home, the more likely it will survive a bush fire or ember attack.

Prepare yourself and your family

Preparation isn’t just about cleaning up around the house and having a plan. It’s also about making sure you consider your physical, mental and emotional preparedness.