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 Hawkesbury 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 Hawkesbury Bush Fire Management Committee area spans 274,001 hectares (ha). The area covers the Local Government Areas (LGA) of Hawkesbury and features National Parks covering an area of 200,428ha and State Forests covering an area of 2,905ha.

The Hawkesbury area has approximately 90.51% bushland and 6.25% 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 23,060 residential dwellings in the Hawkesbury BFMC area with an approximate population of 63,569.
  • According to the ABS data on the counts of Australian businesses, there were 3,506 businesses in the Hawkesbury BFMC area. The top three industries include Construction, Hiring and Real Estate Services and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services. These account for 48% of businesses in the BFMC area.
  • The last major bush fires happened in the 2019/20 bush fire season with 195,581 hectares burned within the Hawkesbury LGA, accounting for 71% of the overall LGA area.
  • 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 Hawkesbury

The Bush Fire Risk Management Plan for Hawkesbury was published on 19 December 2017.

These plans identify the bush fire risks in Hawkesbury BFMC Area 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.

Hawkesbury 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.

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

  • NSW Rural Fire Service
  • Department of Industry (Crown Lands)
  • Department of Defence (RAAF Richmond)
  • NSW Police Force
  • Fire and Rescue NSW
  • NSW Ambulance
  • Hawkesbury City Council
  • NSW State Emergency Service
  • NSW Department of Family and Community Services
  • University of Western Sydney
  • Transport NSW
  • Endeavour Energy
  • Transgrid
  • Telstra
  • Local Aboriginal Land Council
  • NSW Farmers' Association
  • Nature Conservation Council of NSW
  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • Transport for 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.