Fires can threaten suddenly and without warning. You need to be prepared to enact your Bushfire Survival Plan without receiving any emergency warning.

To prepare, you should:

  • Know the daily Fire Danger Rating for your area
  • Understand the different Bushfire Warning levels
  • Watch for signs of fire, especially smoke and flames
  • Act decisively the moment you know there is danger
  • Put your Bushfire Survival Plan into action (avoid a "wait and see" response)
  • Stay informed using more than one source of information

Do not rely on a single source for emergency warning information.

Check the Fire Danger Rating each day

The Fire Danger Rating is an indicator of how dangerous a bushfire could be if it did occur. It is not a predictor of how likely a bushfire is to occur; it should be used as an early indicator to trigger your plans. The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts the rating each day. The higher the Fire Danger Rating, the more dangerous the fire conditions.

You need to understand the Fire Danger Rating to help you assess your level of bushfire risk and to decide what actions to take. The Fire Danger Rating will help you understand the predicted bushfire behaviour, potential impacts and recommended actions you should take for each category level. We recommend you take the time to review and understand the ratings.

Understand Bushfire Warning levels

Warnings are issued when a fire has started and you need to take action, however you should never wait to receive an official warnings before you leave. Make sure you understand the different levels of warnings but don't expect warnings to be issued in any particular order - the first warning you could get could be an Emergency Warning.

Call the Information Hotline

We provide information to the community through the Information Hotline on 1800 362 361 (TTY 133 677) including Fire Danger Ratings, fire restrictions, fire bans, fire regulations, incidents and information relating to Bushfire Survival during bushfires. You can listen to a recorded message about fire restrictions or incidents, or speak to an operator for more information.

Subscribe to CFS emails

Subscribe to emails to access to bushfire warnings and other important information, we use emails to provide information on bushfires and other incidents CFS are attending, as well as other useful CFS information and diary dates.

Listen for radio updates

You can listen to one of our Emergency Broadcast Partners for emergency warnings and alerts:

  • ABC is the official Emergency Broadcaster - local ABC radio stations broadcast the emergency warnings and alerts relevant to their area
  • FIVEaa Radio
  • Sky News Television
  • Commercial Radio Australia

We recommend you keep a battery powered or wind-up torch and radio ready in case the power fails during an emergency or your mobile service goes down. Test the batteries regularly.

Stay informed using multiple sources