Bushfire Management Planning

State Bushfire Coordination Committee: Governance and Planning

Bushfire management in South Australia is governed under the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005. The State Bushfire Coordination Committee (SBCC) is a State-level South Australian Government committee comprised of representatives from fire and land management agencies and other allied and representative organisations. The SBCC is responsible for bushfire management planning in SA.

State Bushfire Management Plan 2021-2025 - Approved

The Plan has been developed by the State Bushfire Coordination Committee to guide the key priorities for bushfire management in South Australia over the coming four years. The draft Plan was open for public consultation from 22nd March to 5th May 2021.

The final Plan has been approved by the Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, having been endorsed by the Chief Officers of the SACFS and the SAMFS and the SBCC, in accordance with the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 (SA).

The SBCC will now proceed to develop an implementation plan for the key actions to be overseen by the Committee, and further information on these processes will be provided in due course.  A brief overview of the Plan can be found here.

Submissions Received during public consultation:

A total of 22 submissions were received from the following agencies and organisations, and 4 from individuals:

Agencies and Organisations:

Adelaide Hills Council  Attorney General's Department - Planning & Land Use Services City of Tea Tree Gully
Conservation Council of South Australia Department for Environment and Water Department for Education
Department for Health and Wellbeing (late submission) Department of Primary Industries and Regions Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Green Triangle Fire Alliance Heritage and Native Vegetation - Department for Environment and Water Institute of Foresters of Australia and Australian Forest Growers
KI Plantation Timbers Livestock SA Local Government Association of South Australia
OneFortyOne Plantations SA Power Networks SA State Emergency Service
SA Wine Industry Association Murrayland & Riverland Landscape Board Nature Conservation Society of South Australia
Naracoorte Lucindale Council Department for Health and Wellbeing  

Individuals

Mr Chris Darling                      Dr Naomi Rea                   
Mr Tim Kelly Yuna Julia

12 discussion posts from 7 individuals were made on the YourSAy site, and 31 responses were received to an online survey also made available through the YourSAy site. It is noted that the survey questions and responses were focused on implementation actions rather than on the plan itself. Both the discussion posts and survey responses will be retained for further consideration during the implementation phase of the Plan document.

Major amendments made:

In summary, the major amendments made to the final draft were (this is not a complete list):

  • Inclusion of additional SBCC Action 2.2 to review the structure and composition of the SBCC and BMCs, including but not limited to: addressing the relationship with the Fire Prevention Strategic Alliance and Heads of Agencies group, and considering representation of Indigenous Australians and the forestry industry;
  • Inclusion of an additional SBCC Action 2.5 regarding identification of data gaps and improving data utilisation to support bushfire risk assessments;
  • Clarification of environmental approvals processes as including regulation, policy and impact assessment processes;
  • Clarification that the BMAP Handbook review will incorporate the zone standard and risk assessment process for environmental assets;
  • Updating of all references to the planning and development assessment framework in relation to the operation of the Planning Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (SA);
  • Inclusion of a number of additional coordination actions, including: farm fire unit integration, environmental impact assessment as part of damage assessment, cross-border coordination arrangements.

Many comments received were relevant to:

  • the implementation of bushfire management area plans, or implementation of other SBCC actions (eg. in relation to governance, or environmental approvals processes); or
  • other operational matters within SBCC member agencies.

All comments made relating to the implementation phase of actions contained in the Plan document will be retained for consideration as those actions are progressed.

All comments relating to operational matters within SBCC member agencies have been formally referred to those agencies for their review and consideration.

 

Committee Governance

The members of the SBCC are gazetted for a three year term.  The new term of the SBCC commenced 14 November 2020.

SBCC and BMC Guidelines and Terms of Reference

2021 SBCC Meeting Dates:    19th March, 14th May, 13th August & 12th November (dates may change subject to SBCC project priorities)

SBCC Meeting Minutes*:

*Minutes from this term of the SBCC will be posted here as they are confirmed.  To obtain copies of Minutes from the previous term of the SBCC please request through the below email.

SBCC Communiques**:

**A summary of key outcomes or information from SBCC meetings will be posted here.

For more information contact the SBCC:

Email: CFS.SBCC@sa.gov.au

The State Bushfire Coordination Committee (SBCC) is responsible for bushfire management planning in SA. The SBCC has divided the State into 9 Bushfire Management Areas. There is a sub-Committee, Bushfire Management Committee (BMC), for each area. Each BMC has prepared a Bushfire Management Area Plan (BMAP) for its area.

Bushfire Management Area Plans identify the risks and actions individuals organisations can take to reduce bushfire risk.  

The 9 Bushfire Management Areas are listed below and each title links to the relevant Bushfire Management Area Plan:

Note: The maps that form part of each BMAP do not show building planning zones. Please refer to Building or developing in bushfire prone areas and use the Property Location Browser.

If you have any questions about the Bushfire Management Area Plan for your area or you would like to be added to the list for future public consultations contact the Bushfire Management Planning Unit.

Contact

Bushfire Management Planning Unit
Phone: (08) 8115 3370
Email: CFS.BushfireManagementPlanning@sa.gov.au

Related Information

Bushfire Management Area Plan Handbook (2018)

The BMAP Handbook details the procedure for the preparation of Bushfire Management Area Plans.  This is version 2 of the document and reflects current process.  Bushfire management planning is very dynamic and this document is likely to required fairly frequent updating.  After the State Bushfire Management Plan 2021-2025 is approved a comprehensive review of this document will commence.  The draft will be tabled with State Bushfire Coordination Committee for guidance and endorsement prior to a public consultation process.

Download the BMAP Handbook

Fire Management Zone Standard and Guidance for Use 2.0

This document defines the standards for the establishment of Fire Management Zones and guidance for use within Bushfire Management Area Plans in South Australia.

This Standard has been prepared by the Ecological Technical Reference Group (ETRG) on behalf of the State Bushfire Coordination Committee.  Version 2.0 was officially approved on 14 February 2020.

Download the document here.

Standard for the risk assessment of environmental assets from bushfire

This document defines the standards for the identification and risk assessment of South Australian environmental assets from bushfire.

This Standard has been prepared by the Ecological Technical Reference Group (ETRG) on behalf of the State Bushfire Coordination Committee. It was officially approved on 13 December 2017.

Download the document here.

Rural Fire Hazard State Risk Assessment Report

The State Emergency Management Committee has assigned the role of Rural Fire Hazard Leader for South Australia to the SA CFS. Under the State Emergency Management Plan, Hazard Leaders work with advisory groups and functional services to ensure a coordinated State approach to major hazards.

In 2013, the Rural Fire Hazard Leader undertook a risk assessment for the Rural Fire hazard in South Australia using the National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines (NERAG) as part of the State Emergency Risk Assessment System (SERAS). The State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC) gave delivery of the SERAS project to the South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM).

Read the Rural State Risk Assessment Report.

National Strategy for Disaster Resilience

The Council of Australian Governments endorsed the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience in February 2011. The purpose of the Strategy is to provide high-level guidance on disaster management to federal, state and local governments, business and community leaders and the not-for-profit sector.

Other Relevant Agency Plans