The Office of Bushfire Risk Management (OBRM) was created in May 2012 as part of the State Government’s response to the findings of the Keelty report ‘Appreciating the Risk’. OBRM is an independent office within the Department of Fire and Emergency Services reporting directly to the Commissioner.
OBRM is designed to oversee changes to Western Australia’s prescribed burns program and will:
- Regulate prescribed burning state-wide
- Advise stakeholders such as Local Governments in relation to policy, responsibilities, best practice and standards in the context of bushfire related risk
- Liaise with agencies, volunteer fire brigades and community groups to exchange information.
- Promote community understanding of bushfire risk as well as the role of prescribed burns and other land management methods
- Establish minimum standards for relevant accredited qualifications.
OBRM’s Mission Statement
To enhance the efficient and effective management of bushfire related risk in Western Australia in order to protect people, assets and other things valuable to communities.
Working with fire management agencies
OBRM requires agencies such as DFES and the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) to report on bushfire related risk and prescribed burning and will be working with local government to the same end.
OBRM will work with agencies to make sure that the risk of state-wide prescribed burning is managed in accordance with the Australian and New Zealand standard ISO 31 000: Risk Management and Guidelines. It will implement an audit program of selected prescribed burns state-wide to ensure stakeholders are complying with OBRM standards and report the outcome of those audits to the Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner.
The Office will also establish a single data standard for mapping bushfire prone areas to be adopted by the State and Local Governments.
In exercising its functions OBRM will adhere to a set of key principles which are set out in its Charter.
Initial accomplishment
In its first six months of operation OBRM worked with the DEC to implement ISO 31 000 for the Spring/Summer burn process and will continue to help roll out changes to the burn process.
For enquiries email the Office of Bushfire Risk Management at OBRM@dfes.wa.gov.au
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