INQ280

Recommendations for this Inquiry

INQ-ref REC-UID CODE SubCode SrcNUM Recommendation
INQ280 REC280-1375 B - Preparedness 5 - Hazard reduction burns Recommendation 1

That the NSW Government commit to and fund a long term program of prescribed burning based on the recommendation of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission of an annual rolling target of a minimum of five per cent of public land per year, and that the NSW Government commit to extending the

INQ280 REC280-1391 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 17

That the NSW Rural Fire Service review its procedures, systems and infrastructure for notifying community members of bush fires, both when a fire has broken out and as it proceeds, to ensure the provision of timely and adequate information.

INQ280 REC280-1392 E - Agency Organisation 36 - Volunteers Recommendation 18

That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in order to ensure greater respect for volunteer fire fighters’ knowledge and experience in the management of fires:
-examine its plans of operations to provide for the use of local knowledge at every level of decision making down the chain of command

INQ280 REC280-1393 E - Agency Organisation 36 - Volunteers Recommendation 19

That the NSW Rural Fire Service formally recognise the Volunteer Fire Fighters Association as a legitimate advocacy organisation representing volunteer bush fire fighters, and duly consult with it on policy and operational matters.

INQ280 REC280-1394 E - Agency Organisation 12 - EM agency and authority Recommendation 20

That the Minister for Police and Emergency Services examine the feasibility of relocating the NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters to a rural or regional location.

INQ280 REC280-1395 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 21

That the NSW Rural Fire Service reassess the protection of pastoral assets during bush fires to ensure that priority for protection is not simply afforded to the homestead, and that land holders are, within reason, able to request which of their own assets are protected.

INQ280 REC280-1396 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 22

That the Minister for Police and Emergency Services review the communications technologies used by the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry NSW during fire fighting operations, to ensure that systems are standardised and effective.

INQ280 REC280-1397 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 23

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service adopt an interim fencing agreement in the immediate aftermath of a fire. This will enable emergency and interim works to commence, but features such as length, fencing components and site of the fence line are not binding.

INQ280 REC280-1398 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 24

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service:
-ensure that where a park is adjacent to a rural land holding, its side of the boundary fence is cleared to the same legislative requirement as the land holding, that is, six metres

INQ280 REC280-1399 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 25

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service remove from its boundary fencing policy and standard contract the condition that requires adjoining land owners to maintain a fence that has been damaged by trees falling from national park land.

INQ280 REC280-1400 D - Recovery 6 - Insurance and legal liability Recommendation 26

That the Office of State Revenue investigate mechanisms to enhance the affordability of insurance for properties and assets in fire affected areas.

INQ280 REC280-1401 D - Recovery 6 - Insurance and legal liability Recommendation 27

That the NSW Government take all reasonable steps to expedite the process of establishing any legal liability for the losses incurred by property owners as a result of the Wambelong fire, and in the event that it is found liable, expedite the process of paying compensation claims.

INQ280 REC280-1402 D - Recovery 6 - Insurance and legal liability Recommendation 28

That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services and NSW Treasury:
-reimburse the Warrumbungle Shire Council for the NSW Government’s share of the remaining shortfall of $528,000 in funds pledged to the recovery process

INQ280 REC280-1390 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 16

That the NSW Government consider enabling the default position during catastrophic and extreme fire danger periods to be the same as for section 44 fires, so that fire control centres have the same systems and resources ready to deploy should a fire break out.

INQ280 REC280-1389 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 15

That the NSW Government, as a matter of urgency, amend the Rural Fires Act 1997 to codify the current interim arrangements for command and notification requirements for class 1 and class 2 fires, which clarify that the NSW Rural Fire Service or Fire and Rescue NSW:

INQ280 REC280-1388 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 14

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
-commission an independent investigation into the allegations that brigade group captains and captains were not duly, or in a timely way, notified of the outbreak of the Wambelong fire

INQ280 REC280-1376 B - Preparedness 5 - Hazard reduction burns Recommendation 2

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service establish a regime of frequent mosaic burning within the Warrumbungle National Park, where conditions permit, to be monitored and evaluated via a formal fully funded research program.

INQ280 REC280-1377 B - Preparedness 5 - Hazard reduction burns Recommendation 3

That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, review and improve the system of bush fire management zones to ensure that greater priority is given to hazard reduction on land classified within land management zones.

INQ280 REC280-1378 B - Preparedness 5 - Hazard reduction burns Recommendation 4

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
-streamline the regulatory system for hazard reduction burns, including the permit system, in order to identify and remove any unnecessary impediments to timely, planned hazard reduction burning

INQ280 REC280-1379 A - Responsibility 9 - Community education Recommendation 5

That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop and implement a comprehensive community education campaign aimed at increasing community understanding of and support for hazard reduction burns.

INQ280 REC280-1380 F - Research and technology 13 - Mapping and data quality Recommendation 6

That the NSW Rural Fire Service investigate mechanisms to enhance the predictability of megafires and how this information is communicated easily to the public.

INQ280 REC280-1381 B - Preparedness 4 - Fire season preparation Recommendation 7

That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire.

INQ280 REC280-1382 B - Preparedness 4 - Fire season preparation Recommendation 8

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by:
-reopening those fire trails that have been closed within the last ten years

INQ280 REC280-1383 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 9

That the NSW Government improve the protection of media and telecommunications towers around New South Wales by:
-increasing the asset protection zone around the towers on Mt Cenn Cruaich and other comparable sites to a radius of at least 100 metres

INQ280 REC280-1384 E - Agency Organisation 12 - EM agency and authority Recommendation 10

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service examine its staffing policy for periods of extreme and catastrophic weather conditions to ensure that sufficient staff are available on site on fire watch.

INQ280 REC280-1385 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 11

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service consider the feasibility, on a case by case basis, of closing public roads through national parks on days with catastrophic fire danger rating, to mitigate the risk of bush fire ignition in national parks.

INQ280 REC280-1386 B - Preparedness 4 - Fire season preparation Recommendation 12

That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting.

INQ280 REC280-1387 E - Agency Organisation 12 - EM agency and authority Recommendation 13

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
-alter the standard procedures for Remote Aerial Response Teams to enable them to operate at night

INQ280 REC280-1403 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 29

That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services urgently review its policies for the provision of disaster welfare services to ensure that in the event of a bush fire emergency and the declaration of a fire under section 44 of the Rural Fires Act 1997, adequate funding and services, especiall