Spring is the time for fuel reduction burning

Posted 18 August 2026

As forest owners, we have a valuable asset to protect. From ensuring firebreaks are cleared and maintained to conducting fuel reduction burns, we all have a role to play in reducing bushfire risk. By taking action now, we can help make summer safer and ensure our assets, families, homes and communities are better prepared and protected.

With spring just around the corner, now is the ideal time to undertake fuel reduction burning on your property. While fuel reduction burns cannot prevent bushfires, they can significantly reduce the intensity and rate of fire spread. This helps create safer conditions for firefighters and landowners, while improving the ability to protect communities, assets and livelihoods when bushfires occur.

Preparing your property ahead of the fire season is one of the most effective ways to reduce risk. Alongside maintaining firebreaks and managing vegetation, fuel reduction burning is an important part of a broader bushfire preparedness strategy.

To support landowners, Private Forests Tasmania has compiled a range of useful contacts and resources to assist with bushfire planning, fuel management and property preparedness.

As we move into spring, take the opportunity to prepare your property for the summer bushfire season. Fuel reduction burning undertaken under suitable conditions today can make a significant difference when bushfire risk increases in the months ahead.

BUSHFIRE PLAN

You can create your own Bushfire Plan in 3 easy steps using the Tasmanian Fire Service online form.

Making a choice to leave or stay when a bushfire threatens is to late! Your safety and survival will depend on how prepared you are and the decisions you make. Tasmanian Fire Service recommends having a Bushfire Plan and sharing it with your household members, neighbours and friends.

Learn more HERE.

BUSHFIRE READY NEIGHBOURHOODS

Bushfire Ready Neighbourhoods are helping high risk Tasmanian communities to work together to prepare for bushfires via:

Information Sessions
Community Events
Preparedness Workshops
Volunteer Community Engagement Training
Bushfire-Ready Groups, and
Other tailored offerings

The program focuses on building a shared responsibility approach to bushfire preparedness through recognising that individuals, communities and the Tasmanian Fire Service all play a part.

Read more HERE.

FUEL REDUCTION PROGRAM

Every summer, bushfires threaten homes and businesses throughout Tasmania. In January 2013, a series of devastating bushfires impacted several rural communities, with significant loss of property, livelihood and our natural environment.

The Tasmanian Bushfire Inquiry that followed recommended the Tasmanian Government establish a coordinated program of fuel reduction burns across the entire State, to target areas that pose the greatest risk of future catastrophic fires.

Bushfires respect no boundaries. The TFS works with the Parks and Wildlife Service, Sustainable Timber Tasmania, local government and private landowners to implement the Fuel Reduction Program on both public and private land. Private landowners must still take responsibility for their own property, but the TFS will work with them.

The Fuel Reduction Program will not prevent bushfires, but it can make them easier and safer to fight. This will reduce damage to homes, businesses and the environment. To achieve this, Tasmania must conduct more fuel reduction burns every year, in a strategic and coordinated manner that focuses the TFS resources where they are needed the most.

You can learn more about the fuel reduction program here and stay up to date with the current burn schedule here.

The Fuel Reduction Program is managed by the Bushfire Risk Unit of the TFS. You can contact the Fuel Reduction Unit during business hours on 1800 000 699.

Read more HERE.

RED HOT TIPS

Red Hot Tips is a FREE one-stop service for farmers and rural landholders educating, engaging and supporting farmers in rural Tasmania to actively manage their bushfire risk; encouraging collaborative vegetation fire management and ecological sustainability across the landscape.

Facilitators work with individual and groups who manage large tracts of land through:

Farm visits to discuss fuel reduction options
Practical advice on fire management planning
Assistance with fire permit applications
Workshops and field days on fire management
Connection with local fire brigades and experts
Guidance on ecological considerations
Farm visits to discuss fuel reduction options
Practical advice on fire management planning
Assistance with fire permit applications
Workshops and field days on fire management
Connection with local fire brigades and experts

Read more HERE.

FOREST INDUSTRY FIRE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Established in the early 1990’s, the FIFMCs aim is to minimise the risk of wildfire resulting from forest operations and to ensure compliance with relevant regulations. Endorsed by the Tasmanian Fire Service, procedures outline minimum fire equipment requirements and procedures to follow to reduce the risk of fire in both high and low risk hazard forest activity.

Read more HERE.

TASMANIAN FIRE SERVICE

The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) is a diverse organisation made up of career firefighters and State Service Employees. TFS is the operational arm of the State Fire Commission working alongside emergency management partners of Tasmanian State Emergency Service (SES), Tasmania Police and Ambulance Tasmania to respond to a range of emergencies across the State.

TFS work with partnered organisations, Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) and the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) to educate communities on bushfire preparedness and fire safety, and work to prevent, resource, manage and respond to bushfires.

Read more HERE.

PLANTATION INSURANCE

Plantation trees are valuable and increase in value over their lifetime. You may want to consider plantation insurance prior to this next fire season to ensure your plantation is covered for not only its value, but also for any potential clean-up costs.

Forest insurance is a specialised service offered by only a few insurers, but your own insurance broker may be able to assist and would be worthwhile contacting.

Read more HERE.