Fire management activities in South Australia (SA) are important to protect the environment and the community from the impacts of fire. This strategic assessment protects nationally significant plants, animals and habitats. It streamlines approval processes until 2045 without affecting emergency fire responses.
Strategic assessments are a collaboration between the Australian Government and an assessment partner. This collaboration allows for a big-picture approach to safeguarding protected matters from the impacts of development over a long time.
The Fire Management Policy (SA) strategic assessment on this page is finalised. This means the Environment minister agreed to areas where fire management activities are allowed. The partner must now implement the environment protection actions, and is restricted to agreed activities in the policy.
The partner must also continue to report to the Australian Government until June 2045 that the policy's requirements are being implemented.
Overview
This strategic assessment covers the impact of bushfire management on biodiversity and protected matters in SA.
It provides legal certainty while streamlining the approvals process for bushfire management.
Bushfire management activities under this assessment focus on:
- strategic fuel management
- maintaining appropriate access and infrastructure for fire suppression.
Signed agreement
On 15 January 2010, the Australian and SA governments agreed to a strategic assessment of SA's Fire Management Environmental Assessment and Management Procedure. The parties to the agreement were:
- the Commonwealth Environment minister
- the South Australian Minister for Environment and Conservation.
This policy relates to bushfire mitigation and fuel reduction. It doesn't affect emergency fire responses.
Strategic assessment agreement, terms of reference and endorsement criteria (PDF 442.18 KB)
On 27 March 2012, both governments agreed to a variation to the agreement.
Schedule of changes to the agreement (PDF 23.53 KB)
Schedule of changes to the agreement (DOCX 30.99 KB)
Terms of reference
The terms of reference for a strategic assessment detail how the strategic assessment partner is to assess the impacts of their proposed activities.
The strategic assessment agreement contains the terms of reference.
Approved development
The draft policy and draft strategic assessment report were open for public comment from 28 February to 28 March 2014.
The South Australian environment department considered public comments and advice from the then Australian Department of Environment.
In November 2014, the South Australian environment department submitted the policy and impact assessment report (PDF).
Read the Fire Management Environmental Assessment and Management Procedure policy and report (PDF).
On 10 December 2014, the Commonwealth minister endorsed the policy under Part 10 of the EPBC Act.
Notification of decision to endorse the fire management policy for lands under the care and control of the South Australian Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation (PDF 294.05 KB)
Notification of decision to endorse the fire management policy for lands under the care and control of the South Australian Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation (DOC 106.5 KB)
On 3 March 2015, the Commonwealth minister approved the policy's actions.
Approval - South Australian Fire Management Policy Strategic Assessment (PDF 432.21 KB)
Approval - South Australian Fire Management Policy Strategic Assessment (DOC 86 KB)
This protects the environment from major impacts except where there's risk to people or properties.
Post-approval reviews
The South Australian environment department reviews the policy every year.
Every 5 years, an independent auditor reviews the policy. The department will submit the report to the Australian Government. They'll also make it available to the public.
Get in touch
Contact our Referrals Gateway team:
- Email: epbc.referrals@dcceew.gov.au
- Phone: 1800 423 135 between 9 am and 5 pm Canberra time.