Bushfire and Emergency Management
Overview
Blue Mountains City Council has a high level of commitment to bushfire and emergency management. Not only does Council implement measures to mitigate the impact of bushfire on the community, it also facilitates planning for disasters and offers significant support to the emergency services during emergency events.
Information relating to these two areas of operations can be found via the navigation pane on the left side of this page.
Bushfire Management
Council is committed to managing the ever-present threat of bushfire throughout the Blue Mountains local government area. Council's fire mitigation activities include:
- A systematic fire hazard inspection program for Council managed land;
- An ongoing program of asset protection zone works on Council managed land to lessen fire impact on vulnerable neighbouring homes;
- Issuing of approvals for hazard reduction burning on Council managed land;
- Maintenance of fire trails on Council managed land; and
- The provision of information to facilitate resident preparation for fire season.
Blue Mountains City Council is also a key member of the Blue Mountains Bush Fire Management Committee. This Committee is responsible for developing broad-scale fire management strategies for the whole of the Blue Mountains local government area, and has produced the Blue Mountains Bush Fire Risk Management Plan to guide fire management activities within this area.
Emergency Management
Council has a significant role in managing many emergency events, and offers a high level of support to the emergency services when requested. Some of Council's roles during an emergency include:
- The involvement of Council's Local Emergency Management Officer in the operation of the Emergency Operations Centre;
- The provision of plant, equipment and personnel to support the emergency services during an operation; and
- The provision of emergency information to the public and the production of media updates during an emergency.
Blue Mountains City Council also has a significant role in pre-incident planning, and is an integral member of the Blue Mountains Local Emergency Management Committee. This committee has prepared the Blue Mountains Local Disaster Plan, which details what each emergency service is responsible for and arrangements for the coordination of responses to major emergencies.
Links
The following websites also contain a wide range of information relating to bushfire and emergency management:
- NSW Rural Fire Service - www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
- NSW Rural Fire Service - Blue Mountains District - www.bluemountains.rfs.nsw.gov.au
- NSW Fire Brigades - www.fire.nsw.gov.au
- NSW State Emergency Service - www.ses.nsw.gov.au
- NSW State Emergency Service - Blue Mountains Unit - www.bluemts.com.au/ses
- Emergency Management NSW - www.emergency.nsw.gov.au
- Emergency Management Australia - www.ema.gov.au
- Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water - Bushfire Information - www.environment.nsw.gov.au
- Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water - Open Burning Information - www.environment.nsw.gov.au
Council Contacts
- Emergency management, disaster planning, Blue Mountains Local Emergency Management Committee - Program Leader, Bushfire and Emergency Management
- Bushfire mitigation works, fire trails and gates, and hazard reduction burning on Council managed lands - Bushfire Management Officer
- Open burning enquiries - Bushfire Management Officer