NSW Rural Fire Service Certifies New Bushfire Prone Land Map

With input from Council staff, a revised Bushfire Prone Land (BFPL) map has been prepared and certified by the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) for the Bathurst Region in accordance with legislative requirements.  

Mayor Robert Taylor noted BFPL mapping is intended to identify land that may be exposed to bush fire hazards so that appropriate considerations can be incorporated into the planning and development process.   

“The review and certification process that has taken place ensures that our mapping remains current, accurate and prepared in accordance with the prescribed guidelines.  

“It is important to note however that Bushfire Prone Land maps are not bush fire risk maps. Their purpose is to identify potential bush fire hazards and trigger appropriate assessments,” said Mayor Taylor.   

A significant update to the BFPL map is the inclusion of Vegetation Category 3 grasslands. These grasslands cover approximately 80% of NSW. While often perceived as lower risk than forested vegetation, grass fires can ignite rapidly, spread unpredictably and travel up to three times faster than bush fires. The updated mapping identifies extensive areas of grasslands within the Bathurst Region as being bushfire prone where historically they have not been mapped.  

The updated map replaces the previous version from 2007 and covers all land within the LGA except actively developing urban zones that are not located within buffer zones to adjoining vegetation categories. 

The new, certified Bushfire Prone Land map can be viewed on Council’s website via this link: https://www.bathurst.nsw.gov.au/Planning-Building/Development/Guides-and-Fact-Sheets  

The NSW RFS’ online bush fire prone land tool will be updated to reflect the changes in the coming weeks.  

Residents are encouraged to discuss with Council’s planning team how the changes affect them. 

Media contact: Genevieve Green Media and Communications Officer  

P: 02 6333 6179 M: 0448 685 340 E: genevieve.green@bathurst.nsw.gov.au