Hazard reduction taskforce to boost bush fire protection

Taskforce Fire Guard will bring together fire agencies and land managers to strengthen coordination and prioritise high risk areas over the coming months.

Operating from the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) State Operations Centre, the taskforce will use predictive services and weather intelligence to support agencies to target efforts where they are needed most.

Participating agencies include the RFS, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Forestry Corporation of NSW, Crown Lands and Transport for NSW.

The centralised body will support existing local arrangements by coordinating resources and using technology to plan and deliver hazard reduction more efficiently across the state.

Current conditions have created a valuable window for hazard reduction activity with burns underway across multiple regions.

These activities are reducing fuel loads, helping to lower fire intensity and better protect communities ahead of future fire seasons.

There may be periods when communities experience smoke and residents are encouraged to download the Hazards Near Me app, follow health advice and take care while driving.

It is important for agencies to take every available opportunity to carry out this work which has been hindered in recent years by record floods and prolonged rains, as well as unsettled conditions and less predictable fire seasons.

Since 1 July 2025, agencies have treated 45,000 hectares across NSW, helping to protect more than 127,000 properties through a targeted focus.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

"Taskforce Fire Guard brings agencies together to ensure we are making the most of every opportunity to reduce bushfire risk and protect communities.

"It will strengthen how we plan and deliver hazard reduction across the state, particularly as weather conditions allow work to increase.

"This is a commonsense approach to hazard reduction that brings all agencies together with a sole focus of coordinated and planned hazard reduction activities.

"This is about making sure every part of the system is working together, using the best available information, to reduce bush fire risk and protect lives and communities across NSW."

RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin said:

"We're dealing with higher fuel loads and increasingly narrow windows to safely carry out hazard reduction.

"This taskforce allows us to better prioritise and coordinate work across agencies, focusing effort where it will have the greatest operational impact.

"Hazard reduction is one of the most effective ways to reduce bushfire risk, and we will take advantage of favourable conditions wherever possible to safely carry out this work across multiple regions.

"While people may see or smell smoke, these burns are carefully planned and closely monitored to ensure community safety."

Fire and Rescue NSW, Acting Commissioner Mick Morris said:

"Task Force Fire Guard is about strengthening how agencies work together to deliver hazard reduction burns where it will make the greatest difference to community safety. It does not replace existing planning or command arrangements, rather it supports them by improving coordination, situational awareness and access to specialist capability, enabling agencies to take advantage of the narrow windows available when conditions are right.

"Fire and Rescue NSW's contribution is focused on the urban interface and structure risk, supporting our endorsed bushfire mitigation plans and safe integration with our broader emergency response."

Community Resources

A list and map of planned burns can be found on the RFS website at https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/hr or download the Hazards Near Me app for information on upcoming hazard reduction burns in your 'Watch Zone'.

People with respiratory conditions who are affected by bush fire smoke are advised to activate their health management plan and seek medical advice if necessary.

Health information is available on the NSW Health website and the National Asthma Council website.