Uralla Shire Council has endorsed an updated Bush Fire Prone Land (BFPL) Map prepared by the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), marking an important step in ensuring planning and development decisions across the shire continue to reflect current bushfire hazard information.
The updated mapping will now be submitted to the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service for certification and publication. Once certified, it will replace the current Bush Fire Prone Land Map, which was last certified in 2009.
The Bush Fire Prone Land Map is a statutory planning tool used to identify land that may be exposed to bushfire hazards. It is not a bushfire risk map, but rather a mechanism to ensure bushfire considerations are appropriately incorporated into the planning and development assessment process.
Mayor Robert Bell said the updated mapping would help ensure the community, landowners and future developments are better informed about bushfire considerations.
“The updated map provides the most current information available and will help ensure that bushfire hazards are appropriately considered as part of future planning and development across the shire,” Mayor Bell said.
“This is an important update, particularly as the previous mapping is now more than 15 years old. The revised map reflects current state guidelines and incorporates local knowledge from the Rural Fire Service.”
One of the most significant changes is the inclusion of grasslands as Bush Fire Prone Land under Vegetation Category 3. Grasslands were recognised in national bushfire standards and subsequently incorporated into the NSW mapping guidelines, meaning extensive areas that were not previously identified will now be classified as bushfire prone.
Mayor Bell said the change aligns Uralla with other rural and regional local government areas across inland New South Wales.
“Many people may notice that a larger area of land is identified as bushfire prone under the new mapping. This does not mean the risk of bushfire has suddenly increased, but rather that the mapping now recognises a broader range of vegetation types that can carry fire, including grasslands.
“The purpose of the mapping is to ensure bushfire hazards are properly considered when planning future development and to support safer outcomes for our communities.”
The updated mapping may affect planning certificates issued for land purchases and some future development proposals, where bushfire assessment requirements apply. These requirements are determined through site-specific assessment and vary depending on the nature and location of a proposed development.
For more information on Bush Fire Prone Land, visit the NSW Rural Fire Service website.
Media Release: Uralla Shire Council
