Bushfire Protection and Planning for Local Government

Learn the essentials for designing, planning, and building in bushfire prone areas

This bushfire protection course is designed for anyone who is looking to develop their bushfire protection knowledge, in or around the Wingecarribee Shire Council, Eurobodalla Shire Council and Queanbeyan Shire Council, NSW region. The course has been established at the request of the three councils. This course explores the relevant requirements of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, Rural Fires Act 1997 and AS 3959 (Buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas).

Course information

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Course content

This four-day bushfire protection course will cover the following topics:

Day one

• Multifaceted approach to bushfire protection
• History of House losses and fatalities.
• Why houses burn down
• NSW Statutory planning and bushfire protection
  • Pathways for DA assessment
• Bushfire prone mapping
• Strategic planning considerations
• Introduction to PBP 2019

Day two

• Introduction to Bushfire Behaviour
  • Fire weather
  • Slope/topography
  • Fuel
• Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019
  • APZs
  • Access
  • Construction
• Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019
  • Water and utilities
  • Emergency planning
• Vegetation and Slope
• Assessments for bushfire protection

Day three

• Off-site field trip

Day four

• The NCC and Bushfire protection
• DTS concepts and planning in NSW
• Role of PBP 2019
• Site Assessment and calculating BALs and APZs
• Legal Issues
• Planning principles and the LEC
• Biodiversity Considerations
• Landscaping
• Workshopping Assessment and consultant reports
• Bushfire Development Plans
• Council processes.     

Learning outcomes

At the end of this bushfire protection course, you will be able to:

• understand bushfire behaviour and approaches to protection of property and human life
• demonstrate a working knowledge of the legislative frameworks and contexts
• apply an understanding of the current status of planning for bushfire-prone areas
• identify and assess issues in bushfire protection and regulation
• conduct bushfire assessments
• consider issues related to biodiversity
• identify key elements in case studies and best practice.

Delivery style

This bushfire protection course will be delivered as an interactive workshop consisting of an instructor-led lecture, group and individual activities. The course is delivered across three intensive workshop days and one practical field trip. This training approach allows participants to work through concepts introduced by the trainer in an application-focused teaching environment. Participants will challenge their understanding of the concepts and consider their application once back in their individual workplace.

This course can be customised and delivered in-house. Find out more.

Intended audience

This bushfire protection course is designed for anyone who is looking to develop their bushfire protection knowledge, in or around the Wingecarribee Shire Council, Eurobodalla Shire Council and Queanbeyan Shire Council, NSW region. The course has been established at the request of the three councils.

If you are interested in a bushfire protection course in Sydney, NSW see our Planning for Bushfire Prone Areas Course.

About the presenter

Dr Grahame Douglas is a Research Fellow who has served as course advisor for the Postgraduate Bush Fire Protection program within the university sector. He has research interests in bushfire protection measures through planning and construction practice as well as in the impact of climate change on bushfire behaviour. Grahame worked with the Rural Fire Service of NSW for more than 17 years and was responsible for developing the legislative provisions and policies relating to bushfire risk management planning, development control for bushfire prone areas, environmental impact of hazard reduction activities and assisted in initial changes to the state’s variations to the Building Code of Australia. He was the principal author of Planning for Bushfire Protection 2001 and 2006 and co-authored many journal and conference publications in this area. He is currently Principal Bushfire Consultant with Travers Bushfire & Ecology and supports local government and Applicants in the Land & Environment Court as well as preparing bushfire protection assessments for major developments in NSW.