It is a legislative requirement unique to Western Australia’s Bush Fires Act 1954 that Local Governments manage volunteer Bush Fire Brigades. 111 Western Australian Local Governments of varying size and capacity, manage 563 Bush Fire Brigades, totaling more than 20,000 volunteers.
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Bush Fire Brigades and Work Health and Safety
The Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WHS Act) was given Royal Assent in November 2020 and commenced in March 2022. A number of aspects of the WHS Act, particularly those that relate to Local Government’s responsibilities for volunteer Bush Fire Brigades, require further consideration by the sector and volunteers.
LGIS has provided the following resources and templates to support Bush Fire Brigade Management.
- Understanding WHS obligations for Bushfire Volunteers
- Example Roles and Responsibilities for Bushfire Volunteers
- WHS & Bushfire Volunteers - who is an 'officer'?
- Manual Task Risk Assessment
- Job Dictionary Bushfire Volunteers
- Practical Guide: Understanding WHS Obligations
- Practical Guide: Returning Home Safe and Well
- LGIS Volunteer Protection Info Sheet
- DFES Bush Fire Service Training Program
- Form 1. Applicant Medical Declaration
- Form 2. Bushfire Brigade Membership Application
- Form 3. National Police Clearance Requirements
- Form 4. DFES Volunteer Registration and Conditions of Membership
LGIS Work Health and Safety resources and publications
*Accessible via LGIS membership login (discuss with your HR department)
Guidelines for Operating Private Equipment at Fires
The DFES Bushfire Centre of Excellence has released updated Guidelines for Operating Private Equipment to support operators to understand their responsibilities, and the associated risks, when responding to a bushfire.
Guidance Note: Fire-break and Hazard Reduction Notices
WALGA and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) collaborated to prepare the Guidance Note – Fire-break and Hazard Reduction Notices. This document supports Local Governments in producing clear and enforceable Notices that comply with section 33 of the Bush Fires Act 1954 (BF Act). In April 2025, a minor review refined the previous edition, focusing on fire-breaks and hazard reduction notices with a more holistic approach. Additionally, the document was streamlined for improved readability.
Example fire-break notices have been provided by the following Local Governments:
Training
For information on DFES’ Bushfire Training Products and how Local Government officers can become a qualified DFES trainer assessor and deliver training locally, please read WALGA's Bushfire Training For Local Governments.
For further information, contact the Bushfire Centre of Excellence or your DFES regional office.
Emergency Management Webinars
