Bushfire Overview

Got 15 minutes to burn?

Bushfires can start anywhere at any time. Creating a bushfire plan is one of the most critical and valuable things you can do, and you can complete it in just 15 minutes.

What will you do to stay safe when a bushfire threatens your home and family? Take the time now to make a few key decisions:

When will you leave?
What will you take?
Where will you go?

Start your plan now

The Fire Danger Rating System has changed.

Know the changes. They could save your life.

No Rating Moderate High Extreme Catastrophic

Plan and prepare

Most fires can be controlled.

Stay up to date and be alert for fires in your area.
Check your bushfire plan. If you do not have a plan, make one now.

Be ready to act

Fires can be dangerous.

There’s a heightened risk. Be alert for fires in your area.
If a fire starts, your life and property may be at risk.
Review your bushfire plan. If you do not have a plan, make one now.
Leave bushfire risk areas if necessary.

Take action now

Fires will spread quickly and be extremely dangerous.

These are dangerous fire conditions.
Put your bushfire plan into action.
If a fire starts, take immediate action. If you and your property are not prepared to the highest level, plan to leave early.
Avoid travel through bushfire risk areas.

For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas

If a fire starts and takes hold, lives are likely to be lost.

These are the most dangerous conditions for a fire.
It may be too late to make a bushfire plan. Prepare your emergency kit and choose where you will go and different ways to get there.
Stay safe by going to a safer location early in the morning or the night before.
Homes cannot withstand fires in these conditions. You may not be able to leave, and help may not be available.

Don’t leave it too late to make a bushfire plan. Get prepared for bushfire season and create or update your plan now.

On days when there is minimal risk, the Fire Danger Rating will be set to ‘no rating’.
Bushfires which start in these conditions are unlikely to spread in a dangerous or life-threatening way, but you will still need to remain alert and abide by local seasonal laws and regulations.

Know your risk

If you think you and your family are not at risk of bushfire, you should think again.

Over 90% of WA is bushfire prone.

Bushfires can happen anywhere and at any time, so it's important to know and understand the risks that affect you.

Is your property in a bushfire prone area? Find out for yourself with the Bushfire Prone Map.

View bushfire prone areas map

Changes to bushfire warnings

Western Australia is joining with other states and territories to deliver nationally consistent emergency information through the Australian Warning System (AWS). The AWS is an easy-to-understand warning system to help you stay safe during an emergency, no matter where in the country you are. New bushfire warning colours are now on Emergency WA, and over time you'll see more changes to emergency information as we achieve national consistency.

Environments at risk

To better understand your risk, consider the following risk factors and if they apply to you:

If you live with any of these high-risk factors, you’ll need to prepare your home, property and family in case of a bushfire. It is important that you and your family decide and agree on what you will do if a bushfire threatens your home. Take 5 minutes now to start your bushfire plan with your household and neighbours.

When is bushfire season?

Bushfires can happen all year round. But during the hottest and driest times of the year, bushfire risk is at its highest.

On hot, dry and windy days, there’s a much higher chance of a bushfire starting and getting out of control. If you’re travelling on these days:

Visit safer places such as cities and towns.
Be prepared to change your travel plans at short notice if a fire starts.
Make sure someone outside your travel group knows your plans, destinations and expected times.

Travelling during bushfire season

If you plan to travel in bushfire season it’s essential you know what to do if you encounter a bushfire. Every year, people are killed or seriously injured by bushfires. If you’re travelling or staying near bushland, fire is a real risk for you. Follow our tips below to stay safe when travelling this bushfire season.

Give way to emergency vehicles

If you encounter an emergency vehicle while driving:

Stay calm and check where the emergency vehicle is coming from.
Give way by merging left if it is safe to do so.
If you cannot move left safely you should slow down or stop and let the emergency vehicle overtake you.
Do not speed up or try to outrun the vehicle as this is dangerous.
Remember, you cannot break the law to give way to an emergency vehicle, for example, driving through a red light.

Remember: It is an offense not to give way to an emergency vehicle. The penalty is a fine and loss of demerit points. For more information, please refer to the Road Safety Commission website.

Campfire safety

An open campfire is part of camping. But campfires can easily cause a bushfire if you do not build or extinguish them correctly. Follow our simple tips below to stay safe when you’re camping.

Cigarette butts

Carelessly discarded cigarette butts are a frequent cause of fires.

Over seven billion cigarette butts are discarded across Australia every year and are the most frequently recorded type of litter in Western Australia.

Careless disposal of a cigarette butt can also be very costly, attracting a fine of up to $500 for an individual.

Make sure your butt is fully extinguished before disposing of it and never throw it from a car.

If you see someone carelessly dispose of a cigarette you can report the offence to Keep Australia Beautiful WA at www.kabc.wa.gov.au or phone 1300 766 541.

Cigarette butt littering fines have increased from $75 to $200 for individuals and $500 for corporations (businesses). The fine for lit cigarettes is higher, $500 for individuals and $2,000 for corporations. During a Total Fire Ban the fine is severe - $25,000 and/or 12 months in jail.