During the 2024/25 bush fire danger period there were over two-thousand permit applications in the Shoalhaven. RFS brigades responded to some incidents where pile burns escaped the perimeter or property boundary or where landowners required unexpected assistance. In some circumstances RFS legal process officers issued cautions and fines where permit conditions were breached or fires caused damage to other people’s property.
Pile burns are an effective means of managing bushfire fuels, but as you can imagine, with over two thousand permits issued over the course of the fire danger period, fire in the landscape must be managed carefully. Your compliance with permit conditions and following our Safe Burning guidelines are a great first step and we appreciate the care and attention you pay to these activities.
It is a requirement that you notify the RFS and your neighbours at least 24 hours before lighting a pile burn or hazard reduction. If you live in the Rural Fire District, you do not need a fire safety permit prior to September 1, 2025 (unless otherwise notified) – but you do still need to notify via the RFS online portal. When you go online to notify, you can register a burn activity for up to 21-days at a time, after which you must renew the notification if you intend to conduct more pile burn activities.
Notifying the RFS and your neighbours helps us reduce the likelihood of responding fire trucks to your burn, as we can check the location of pile burns during the notification period and others within the community are less likely to contact triple zero when they see smoke. Of course we do receive good intent calls, and it’s better to be safe than sorry, however your prior notification is of great assistance to us.
If you conduct a pile burn and do not notify the RFS via our online portal, a fine could be issued by our legal process officers. Notifying us is simple. It takes just a few minutes and can be done 24/7 via this link.
Just because it’s not the bush fire danger period doesn’t mean that fires can’t escape and cause damage. Just a few simple steps and you will be on your way to Safe Burning. Our guide can assist!
If our team can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us on tel. 4424 4424. Thought about joining the RFS as a volunteer? You can send us your details via this link and one of the team will contact you with further details.
Thanks again and take care.
**A reminder that some hazard reduction activities require a free hazard reduction certificate from the RFS, otherwise you may breach environmental conditions.
Kind regards,
Superintendent Matthew Reeves
District Manager
