Division 4 Preparation of draft bush fire management plans

52   Bush Fire Management Committees to prepare plans

(1)  Each Bush Fire Management Committee must, in accordance with this Division, prepare and submit to the Bush Fire Co-ordinating Committee a draft of each of the following kinds of bush fire management plans for the rural fire district or other part of the State for which it is constituted:

(a)  a plan of operations, and

(b)  a bush fire risk management plan.

(2)  Draft bush fire management plans of both kinds must be prepared and submitted to the Bush Fire Co-ordinating Committee by a Bush Fire Management Committee within 12 months after the constitution of the Bush Fire Management Committee and:

(a)  in the case of a plan of operations—within each successive 2 year period following the constitution of the Committee, and

(b)  in the case of a bush fire risk management plan—within each successive 5 year period following the constitution of the Committee.

53   Content of draft plan of operations

A draft plan of operations for a rural fire district or other part of the State is to set out the procedures to be followed if:

(a)  a bush fire breaks out in the rural fire district or other part of the State and assumes or is likely to assume such proportions as to be incapable of suppression by the fire fighting authority or authorities in that part of the State, or

(b)  the prevailing conditions are conducive to the outbreak of a bush fire likely to assume such proportions.

54   Content of draft bush fire risk management plan

(1)  A draft bush fire risk management plan for a rural fire district or other part of the State is to set out schemes for the reduction of bush fire hazards in the rural fire district or other part of the State.

(2)  Without limiting the matters that may be contained in a draft bush fire risk management plan, it may restrict or prohibit the use of fire or other particular fire hazard reduction activities in all or specified circumstances or places to which the plan applies.

(3)  The Bush Fire Management Committee must, when preparing a draft bush fire risk management plan for a rural fire district or other part of the State, consider the number and location of neighbourhood safer places in the rural fire district or other part of the State.

Note. A plan might, for example, prohibit the use of fire because of its effect on fauna or flora in, or the cultural heritage of, a particular place.

55   General content

(1)  A draft bush fire management plan may:

(a)  include schemes for the exercise in the rural fire district or other part of the State to which it applies of functions conferred or imposed by this Act, and

(b)  confer or impose functions on the Commissioner, the Commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW, the Forestry Corporation, the Director-General of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water or any other person or body associated with the prevention, mitigation or suppression of bush fires in that part of the State.

(2)  A draft bush fire management plan must include any provisions that the Bush Fire Co-ordinating Committee has advised the Bush Fire Management Committee concerned to include in the plan.

56   Failure of Management Committee

The Commissioner may exercise the functions of a Bush Fire Management Committee under this Division if the Committee has failed to submit a draft bush fire management plan in accordance with the Division or has submitted a draft plan that, in the opinion of the Commissioner, is inadequate.