I invite and encourage Canberrans to help shape the next five years of bushfire management in the ACT.
The ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) and Environment Planning Sustainability Development Directorate will today begin a community consultation program for the ACT’s Strategic Bushfire Management Plan.
We’re asking the community to share their ideas, values and expectations for the plan.
The Strategic Bushfire Management Plan sets out how bushfire risk is strategically managed in the ACT. The plan is reviewed every five years in consultation with stakeholders and the community.
This important overarching document directs bushfire management throughout the ACT. The plan allows our emergency services and fire managers to flexibly implement measures to reduce bushfire risk.
The consultation is also an opportunity for Canberrans to learn about how we reduce bushfire risk in the Territory.
The ESA has declared that the bushfire season will be extended by one month to 30 April 2019 because of dry conditions and continuing elevated fire danger.
By the end of April, the ACT will have experienced an eight month long bushfire season – the longest ever.
This is a timely reminder to the ACT community that just because summer is over, it doesn’t mean that the bushfire risk is over. Canberra should always be bushfire ready.
Four community forums to discuss the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan will be hosted by ESA at venues across Canberra. Find out how you can be involved via the ESA website: .
