INQ237

That section 3(c) of the Rural Fires Act 1997, which sets out the objects of the Act, be extended to include protecting infrastructure, environmental, economic, cultural, agricultural and social assets from damage.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW Treasury explore ways to ensure that unspent hazard reduction funds be carried over to the next financial year in a timely manner and to ensure that hazard reduction funding has a seamless transition from one financial year to the next.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service investigate use of appropriate modelling, such as PHOENIX RapidFire and the Bayesian Network analysis, to quantify the level of bush fire risk to critical values and assets.

That Bush Fire Management Committees be required to take into account fuel age and fire frequency thresholds when developing Bush Fire Risk Management Plans

That Bush Fire Risk Management Plans be tabled at Local Emergency Management Committees for comment.

That Bush Fire Risk Management Plans be posted on the NSW Rural Fire Service website.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop a strategy to better inform the community and NSW Rural Fire Service members about the NSW bush fire management system and its components.

The Panel notes and endorses the NSW bush fire management system based on a multi-agency, tenure blind approach using locally focused Bush Fire Management Committees, Bush Fire Management Plans and the Bush Fire Environmental Assessment Code as best practice.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service hold discussions with the Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities about hazard reduction and roadside vegetation, including potential changes to the NSW Bush Fire Environmental Assessment Code.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service hold discussions with the Department of Planning and Infrastructure and Local Government NSW on ways to improve compliance with development consents under section 76A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

That section 100I of the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to allow hazard reduction certificates to be issued for annual low impact works for a period of three years, where appropriate.

That section 74 of the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to require public authorities to report monthly to the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service on activities undertaken to reduce bush fire hazards on managed land during the preceding month and the reasons why any planned activities did n

That section 74 of the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to require public authorities to report to the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service within one month of the end of the financial year on activities undertaken to reduce bush fire hazards on managed land during the preceding financial ye

That the definition of “bush fire hazard reduction work” in the Dictionary of the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to include the establishment or maintenance of fire trails.

That the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to allow the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service to carry out hazard reduction on land without the consent of the owner after reasonable attempts to contact the landowner have failed, without serving a notice under section 66 of the Rural Fires Act.

That section 56 of the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to give the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service the power to direct a Bush Fire Management Committee to amend its Bush Fire Risk Management Plan if it is inadequate, in the opinion of the Commissioner.

That section 9(4)(b) of the Rural Fires Act 1997, which sets out the functions of the NSW Rural Fire Service, be amended to include protecting infrastructure, environmental, economic, cultural, agricultural and social assets from damage.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service apply for funding from the NSW Treasury for the development of a multi-agency business case for a BRIMS replacement that includes internal management, risk communication, community engagement capability and publishing activities on websites.