Committed to bushfire prevention, preparedness and response
ForestrySA works in cooperation with South Australia’s Country Fire Service (CFS), Victoria’s Country Fire Authority (CFA), other forest managers, neighbouring landholders and other stakeholders to manage the threat and response to bushfire.
Many strategies are in place to protect plantation lands under our management. These include:
- Ensuring all forest firebreaks and fire access tracks on plantation land managed by ForestrySA are established and maintained in accordance with South Australian Government Agencies Fire Liaison Committee (GAFLC) standards.
- Trained CFS firefighting personnel.
- A fleet of modern fire tankers, state-of-the-art G-Wagen Quick Response Vehicles, bulk water carriers and other fire equipment maintained and strategically stationed across its forest estate.
A registered CFS brigade
ForestrySA is a registered CFS brigade both in the Mount Lofty Ranges and Green Triangle regions.
During the fire danger season, we boost our firefighting personnel with seasonal crew members trained in forest firefighting.
ForestrySA’s seasonal crew performs general forest maintenance duties, including firebreak clearing, fencing and also undertakes weekly fire training.
Our crews respond to fires within designated response zones and perform stand-by on high fire danger days, backed by a fleet of specialised fire appliances designed specifically for forest firefighting.
Fuel reduction burning
ForestrySA maintains an annual prescribed burning program across its forest reserves.
It forms an important part of our commitment to bushfire prevention. Fuel reduction burning removes under-storey fuel loads, assisting in asset protection and species diversity.
Information on planned prescribed burn operations can be found on the South Australian Country Fire Service website.
For more information regarding upcoming and recently completed prescribed burns, visit the Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Water (DEW) website.
For information about ForestrySA’s current burns, scroll down to the announcements section of the ForestrySA homepage.
Burning on private land
National Parks and Wildlife Service SA’s (NPWSSA) Burning on Private Land program strategically reduces fuel in high-risk areas, identified in collaboration with private landholders, the SA Country Fire Service, local government and bushfire management committees in each region across the state.
Private landholders can get involved in this new program in the following ways:
- If your land is in a high-risk area, and is in a strategic location, you may be approached by NPWSSA staff to discuss options to reduce your bushfire risk to help protect the community. Priority is given to highly populated areas.
- If you own land that you think may pose a bushfire risk to the wider community and you are not able to manage the fuel yourself you can contact NPWSSA staff. They will let you know whether your property has been identified as a risk and discuss options to manage it.
Click here to find out more about the program, or get in touch with NPWSSA.
Become a seasonal fire crew member
ForestrySA recruits seasonal crew members to its Mount Lofty Ranges team from July each year. Work is mainly outdoors and involve preparation of our forest for the fire danger season.
This includes training for fire suppression, track construction and clearing, fencing, slashing of fire breaks, weed control, facilities maintenance and other required work. Firefighting experience is preferred. You will work outside most days and includes work outside of normal hours, including public holidays.
Please contact us for more information.
The forest is closed to the public on declared Total Fire Ban days. To report a fire, call 000.
For fire ban information phone 1800 362 361 or visit the CFS website. Being aware of a Total Fire Ban is your responsibility.
Fire is prohibited on ForestrySA land and Forest Reserves between November 1 and April 30 in any year. (These dates may be extended in areas where high fire danger persists).
