Special Precautions during Extreme or Catastrophic Bush Fire Danger

Scope

This Operational Guideline covers special precautions to be considered during bush or grass firefighting during periods of Extreme or Catastrophic fire danger.

Fundamental Protocols underpin the actions of all NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) members and must be adhered to at all times. They outline the Principles of being an RFS member and provide guidance on conduct to support the safety and wellbeing of members.

Guiding Principles

• All units assigned to bush or grass fires are to be advised of the forecast fire behaviour index (FBI).
• All units are to be advised of any forecast significant changes in weather conditions. These include a worsening of the fire danger rating, passage of a front or change, significant wind changes, or expectation of severe weather (e.g., thunderstorms).
• All units are to be advised of any significant operational hazards relevant to them, such as aircraft or heavy plant engaged in firefighting with them, and any locations close to them known to be threatened by fire over-run.
• All units are to be advised of any unusual command, control or communications arrangements, such as a Section 44 declaration or use of non-standard radio channels.
• All units are to be advised of any relevant special safety warnings, to avoid areas, trails or roads vulnerable to sudden fire over-run (e.g., along ridges or hillsides in the vicinity of fire) and to re-evaluate their current strategy at least every two hours.
• Normally, the above information is to be supplied to units by FireCom. These may include by radio when units depart their station, by general broadcast, via paging or Mobile Data Terminal (MDT), by the distribution of information sheets, verbally or by any combination of these methods.
• The information may be passed either directly to units, or indirectly via the Incident Controller (IC) and chain of command at an incident, or by means of a briefing, Incident Action Plan (IAP), or information sheet supplied at an assembly or staging area.

Special Considerations

• Nil.

Related Information

• Australia Fire Danger Rating System: AFDRS