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 Sutherland is currently being assessed. Public feedback will be taken into consideration as the plan is finalised by the Sutherland Bush Fire Management Committee before being sent to the Bush Fire Coordinating Committee for review.

Current Bush Fire Risk Management Plan for Sutherland

The Bush Fire Risk Management Plan for Sutherland was published on 4 October 2016.

This plan identifies the bush fire risks in the Sutherland BFMC area 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 Sutherland

Sutherland 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.

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

  • NSW Rural Fire Service
  • Sutherland Shire Council
  • Fire and Rescue NSW
  • NSW Police
  • Ausgrid
  • Local Land Services
  • NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
  • NSW Department of Planning and Environment (Crown Lands)
  • Nature Conservation Council of NSW
  • Local Aboriginal Land Councils
  • Transport for NSW (including Sydney Trains)
  • ANSTO
  • Department of Defence
  • Sydney Water
  • WaterNSW
  • Ampol (observer)

The Sutherland Bush Fire Management Committee area spans 368,800 hectares (ha). The area covers the Local Government Area (LGA) of Sutherland and features National Parks covering an area of 17,438ha (4.2% of BFMC Area).

The Sutherland area has approximately 69.2% bushland and 4.9% 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 88,446 residential dwellings in the Sutherland BFMC area with an approximate population of 224,192.
  • According to the ABS data on the counts of Australian businesses, there were 11,467 businesses in the Sutherland BFMC. The top three industries include Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services, Construction and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services. These account for 54% of businesses in the Sutherland BFMC.
  • Significant bush fire events occurred in the 2017/18 and 2020/21 bush fire seasons with 4,323 and 593 hectares burned respectively.
  • 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.