National bush fire management policy statement for forests and rangelands
Australia and many other re-prone parts of the world have experienced an increase in bush fires over the past decade. The bush fires have increased in intensity and caused more damage. There is increasing debate within Australia and overseas about how best to reduce bush fire risk. This debate is occurring against a backdrop of a changing climate and a growing, more urbanised population. It is informed by the Victorian Bush fires Royal Commission into the 2009 Black Saturday Bush fires which led to the deaths of 173 people and destroyed over 2000 homes.
This policy statement and supporting strategies have been developed by all Australian governments to guide the evolution of effective and ecologically sustainable fire regimes within Australia. It builds on experience gained across Australia and assists in developing a more coordinated approach.
This policy lays the foundation for future bush fire management in Australia, and ensures that Australia will continue to be a global leader and innovator of bush fire management.
The policy focuses on the management of fire in forests and rangelands. While it largely covers public lands, the general issues and principles apply more widely. The policy places priority on the protection of life, as well as the need for due consideration of the important responsibility of governments to address the purpose for which they set aside the bushland that surrounds many urban areas. The purpose being that all Australians, now and in the future, should benefit from the roles of these lands in the provision of ecosystem services such as conserving biodiversity, heritage and carbon, producing water and timber, and hosting recreation and tourism opportunities.