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 Far South Coast 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 Far South Coast BFMC area spans 973,089 hectares (ha). The area covers the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Bega Valley and Eurobodalla Shires and features 30 National Parks covering an area of 392,608ha (40.34% of BFMC area) and 40 State Forests covering an area of 266,357ha (27.37% of BFMC area).

The Far South Coast area has approximately 83% bushland and 14% 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 40,373 residential dwellings in the Far South Coast BFMC area with an approximate population of 69,308.
  • According to the ABS data on the counts of Australian businesses, there were 2,558 businesses in the Far South Coast BFMC. The top three included construction, Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services and agriculture, fisheries and forestry accounting for approximately 59% of businesses in the Far South Coast BFMC area.
  • The last major bush fires happened in the 2019/20 fire season – with 628,735 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 Far South Coast

The Bush Fire Risk Management Plan (BFRMP) for Far South Coast was prepared under two previous Bush Fire Management Committee areas.

The Bega Valley BFRMP was published on 10 October 2018 and the Eurobodalla BFRMP was published on 7 March 2019.

These plans identify the bush fire risks in the Far South Coast and set 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.

Far South Coast BFMC 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.

Far South Coast Bush Fire Management Committee is made up of the following representatives:

  • NSW Rural Fire Service
  • NSW Department of Crown Lands
  • Energy Australia
  • NSW Farmers' Association
  • Fire and Rescue NSW
  • Forestry Corporation of New South Wales
  • Bega Valley Shire Council
  • Eurobodalla Shire Council
  • Batemans Bay, Bega, Bodalla, Cobowra, Eden, Mogo, Merrimans & Wagonga Local Aboriginal Land Councils
  • Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales
  • National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Transport for NSW
  • Water 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.