Hotspots Fire Project

The Hotspots Fire Project is an education and training program the Nature Conservation Council runs with the NSW Rural Fire Service to increase understanding of the role of fire in the bush and how it can be best managed for a variety of outcomes.

Striking a balance

Those who live on the fringes of bushland are all too aware of the risks that wildfire poses to life and property, but fire is also vital for the survival of many plant species and the animals they support. The most up-to-date science now demonstrates that protecting life and property and enhancing wildlife habitat are not incompatible goals, as was once commonly believed.

Education and training

The Hotspots Fire Project is an education and training program we run with the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) to increase understanding of the role of fire in the bush and how it can be best managed for a variety of outcomes. We believe that well-informed and well-prepared communities complement the roles of land managers and fire agencies, and that a shared approach to fire management is critical for effective planning.

Since 2005, the Hotspots team has run more than 110 workshops for over 1,400 landholders. These have resulted in 670 property fire management plans covering about 140,000 hectares. The workshops, which are held over two days, are based on the latest science and practical, on-the-ground experience of fire management professionals. They give landholders the knowledge and skills they need to develop fire management plans and conduct burns that reduce the risk of dangerous wildfire damaging their property, while also enhancing wildlife habitat.

Over the two days, participants learn about fire behavior and its relationship to local vegetation and threatened species. The first day workshop walks participants through the theory of fire and fire planning. The second day is practical and includes a demonstration burn. For full details about the Hotspots Fire Project workshops, visit the Hotspots website.

Workshops

See the workshops map on the Hotspots website for details of coming workshops, or subscribe to the Hotspots newsletter.

Bushfire Conference

Field trip for the Biennial Bushfire Conference 2021. This year's location was North Head where attendees were able to learn about major efforts in management of this unique location, including burn strategies and results of 2020's escaped burn.

Large Forest Owls Project

Through this project we are working with landholders to protect and enhance key nesting sites and habitat resources for Vulnerable large forest owls across the Richmond-Clarence Lowlands. The project is working to ensure the survival of three Vulnerable species: the Barking Owl (Ninox connivens), Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) and the Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua).

Bushfire Program

The Bushfire Program is the longest running of the NCC Healthy Ecosystem Programs. Its vision is to ensure that all bushfire management activity is ecologically sustainable while protecting life and property, and it has been actively involved in the successful evolution of fire management in NSW. The program has been pivotal in bridging contrasting views on bushfire management between interest groups.

Koalas Need Trees

Koala's are forecast to go extinct by 2050 if no action is taken. Their habitat is being lost to logging, development and mining. We need to urgently protect the remaining koala habitat.

Join our campaign as a Koala Champion because Koalas Need Trees.