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.

We are planning together to manage bush fire risk in the Canobolas area by preparing a new five-year plan of strategies and actions.

How will your input be used

The data from the Have Your Say survey responses has been anonymously supplied to your area’s Bush Fire Management Committee. They will assess data collections rather than individual answers, so that they can establish a clearer community sentiment and gain insights from a large sample size.

The personal details you submitted will be used to validate your submission and to allow notifications to be sent to you when the status of this BFRMP changes.

Our community

The Canobolas Zone Bush Fire Management Committee (BFMC) area spans 1,062,081 hectares (ha). The area covers the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra and Orange and features three National Parks covering an area of 45,287ha (4.2% of BFMC area) and nine State Forests covering an area of 25,269ha (2.4% of BFMC area).

The Canobolas Zone area has approximately 32% bushland and 66% 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 31,988 residential dwellings in the Canobolas BFMC area with an approximate population of 71,084.
  • According to the ABS data on the counts of Australian businesses, there were 7,490 businesses in the Canobolas BFMC. The top three included agriculture, fisheries and forestry, construction and rental, hiring and real estate services accounting for approximately 51% of businesses in the Canobolas BFMC.
  • The last major bush fire happened in the 2017/18 bush fire season with 1,600 hectares burnt.
  • There are several valuable community assets across the area along with a number of culturally significant sites and environmentally important sites.

Current Bush Fire Risk Management Plan for Canobolas

The current Bush Fire Risk Management Plan (BFRMP) for Canobolas Zone was approved on 23 March 2017.

This BFRMP identifies the bush fire risks in Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra and Orange council areas and sets out the types of work scheduled to deal with the risk of bush fires.

BFRMPs 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 Canobolas

Canabolas Zone 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.

Canabolas Zone Bush Fire Management Committee is made up representatives from the following agencies and organisations:

  • NSW Rural Fire Service
  • Department of Industry (Crown Lands)
  • Essential Energy
  • Transgrid NSW
  • NSW Farmers' Association
  • Fire and Rescue NSW
  • Forestry Corporation of New South Wales
  • Blayney Shire Council
  • Cabonne Shire Council
  • Cowra Shire Council
  • Orange City Council
  • Cowra Aboriginal Land Council
  • Orange Aboriginal Land Council
  • Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales
  • National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • NSW Police Force
  • Central Tablelands Local Land Services
  • UGL Regional Linx
  • Cadia Newcrest Mining
  • Orange Vignerons Association
  • Transport NSW

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.

Reporting a bush fire hazard

The NSW RFS is responsible for inspecting bush fire hazards, providing advice and if necessary, issuing notices to all landowners and managers to reduce hazards. If you believe there is a bush fire hazard near your property, you can make a formal complaint by