The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science undertake a review of campfire locations on K’gari, including all relevant signage on and off the island, maps and visitor permit information, to promote a consistent message about lighting campfires on K’gari.

We recommend that DELWP improves the effectiveness, consistency and transparency of its environmental and cultural values checks by: - finalising its review of operational values checking processes and committing to an implementation plan - clarifying and formalising principles and procedures, making them publicly available where possible - improving capability and capacity among staff responsible for carrying out values checks, for example through training - developing a long-term program of work and investment to improve the quality, consistency and comprehensiveness of underlying datasets - increasing alignment in regard to values checks between agencies carrying out fuel management.

We recommend that DEWLP and CFA (in consultation with FRV) in partnership with councils, provide advice to government in line with the Safer Together: A new approach to reducing the risk of bushfire in Victoria policy on options to better resource the assessment of risk on private land, its treatment and activities to enforce compliance of land owners with risk-reduction treatments.

We recommend that DELWP conducts more effective ecosystem resilience monitoring by: - setting a target for regions on the quantity of ecosystem resilience monitoring assessments that they should complete annually - setting an outcomes-level target that defines desirable values for key ecosystem resilience metrics - reporting publicly against all of the metrics in its Measuring Ecosystem Resilience in Strategic Bushfire Management Planning policy in its fuel management reports.

We recommend that CFA (in consultation with FRV) improves its values checks by providing ongoing state-wide support to regional vegetation management officers and leveraging any relevant systems or capabilities from DELWP to conduct values checks through guidance, training and ongoing funding.

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) – supported by other organisations with a legislated responsibility for fuel management – plan for and increase the application of non-burning fuel management treatments including mechanical means. 

The annual fuel management report should include the non-burn component of fuel management treatment, track annual change, and provide a comparison to the previous three years. 

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that responder agencies and Emergency Management Victoria review preparedness arrangements to ensure procedural documentation (including plans), recruitment, briefings and training are completed before significant seasonal events are likely to occur. Seasonal preparedness should culminate in attestations of assurance to confirm that:
a) documentation reflects relevant risks and potential impacts
b) briefings and training schedules have been tailored and delivered according to seasonal influences
c) recruitment strategies enable the engagement of adequate numbers of appropriately skilled personnel for the entire season. 

Fatigue management strategies and guidance should be improved to ensure sustainable staffing practices are incorporated into disaster management planning.

Establish a capacity to prescribe bushfire management arrangements for individual properties based on bushfire risk assessment.

Appropriate and scalable resourcing models for remote locations

Planning for Access to Potentially Isolated Communities
The challenges faced by Dungog Council in resolving the Torryburn access issue resulted in
extended delays that impacted adversely on the Torryburn community. The issue arose
because the community is accessed by a single access route. The challenges faced by Dungog
Council could well be experienced again in future events for similar communities with single
means of access. Emergency access options for such communities, including alternate routes
or transport means to be utilised in an emergency, should be considered in local emergency
plans. In addition, the criteria, likely requirement for, and means of re-supply during the
recovery phase should be clarified.

Appropriately equipped Incident Control Centres should be identified and/or established throughout the Perth Hills to meet the requirements of a fully resourced Incident Management Team in future bushfire events.

CFA and VICSES should: implement risk management processes within regions, districts, brigades and units to understand and manage the local risks associated with their volunteer workforces

The Emergency Services Agency and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should improve information capture and sharing by:
a) recording accurately and efficiently personnel information and capabilities in relation to bushfire management; and
b) improving the coordination of the planning and use of bushfire preparedness maps between ACT Government agencies.

All forms of fuel modification should be available to fire managers.

Experienced forecasters and fire behaviour experts should be embedded in DEC at least at a state level to ensure that fire risks are properly understood by decision makers.

That a trial be commissioned to assess the most effective means of road verge management, including regional variations, for future application across the Territory.

Annual property inspections assessing access and fuel loads are conducted in all peri urban areas.

The Fire Services Commissioner leads a task force to: a. identify legislation, policies and guidelines that impact on vegetation management and recommend necessary changes b. develop a set of risk-based standards for vegetation management with respect to strategic firebreaks and the assets being protected c. integrate maintenance standards across all areas of responsibility and tenure.

The prioritisation, by the State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC), of bushfire preparedness activities including updating WESTPLAN - BUSHFIRE and coordinating bushfire exercises prior to the 2009/10 bushfire season.

A standard for signage at fire incidents be developed and caches of this equipment be established at DEC and Local Govt facilitates to enable its rapid and effective deployment by Ground Support Unit at fires.

Perishable food should be ‘stamped’ with an expiry date.

Food storage should be a design consideration in all fire ground appliances

Pre-season arrangements to provide high quality food should be encouraged in all emergency management plans

A strategically located Staging Area serviced with check in/out personnel should be considered as early as possible at incidents involving an extended attack.

QFRS implement a system to monitor the condition and safety of brigade buildings and equipment. 

That DPI formalises agreements within the Regional Services and Agriculture Division to ensure that plant health information is included in extension programs.

That DPI develops a consistent process to identify, assess and prioritise potential plant pest and disease threats, and aligns it with prioritisation processes used at the national level by Plant Health Australia.

That DSE and CFA continue to stress firefighter safety as their highest priority for incident managers and fire ground supervisors