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For decades, the term “hazard reduction burn” has been used to describe planned fires aimed at reducing fuel loads and preventing bushfire disasters. But increasingly, that language is being replaced by a new phrase “Strategic Fire Advantage Zone.”
The change appeared in official updates from Hawkesbury Fire Control this week to describe the planned burn by Kurrajong Heights RFS at Kurrajong Hills Little Island, and while it may sound bureaucratic, the shift is more than semantics.
The word hazard evokes danger; the word burn suggests destruction. For many residents, those words conjure memories of choking smoke, lost wildlife, and heavy-handed operations.
The newer term, Strategic Fire Advantage Zone, reframes the practice as a scientific, proactive defence strategy, designed to create safe areas for firefighters to operate, defend homes, and control future bushfires.
It’s an attempt to rebuild public trust in a good fire, that is the kind of planned, cool burning that reduces the intensity of bad, or hot fire later on.
“Don’t Care What They Call It — Just Do It”
Local resident and hazard reduction advocate Martin Tebbutt from Bilpin isn’t interested in the rebrand.
“I don’t care what they call it,” Tebbutt told the Gazette. “They just need to do it more regularly, and during the cool season. They seem to be forever waiting for a weekend volunteer crew to be available, and that’s causing a massive backlog. The Crown Land opposite my place hasn’t had a cool burn in years. Thats why I advocate for mechanical clearing such as using a mulcher slasher where you can reduce the hazard and maintain the animal habitats when its too hot to do a cool burn.”
For Tebbutt, and many others across the Hawkesbury, the issue isn’t what the fire is called, it’s whether it’s happening often enough, in the right way, at the right time.
He believes the answer lies in better coordination between Fire Control, local brigades, and landholders.
“Ultimately, it’s about getting the job done. That requires Hawkesbury Fire Control to collaborate with the community not just act as a logistics hub directing volunteers when it suits them.”
The Language of Safety
Fire Control’s new terminology mirrors a national trend: government agencies are adopting language that emphasises strategy and advantage, not hazard and loss.
The intent is good to highlight planning, safety, and control but the success of this reframing depends on whether residents actually feel safer as a result.
Because as locals know, safety isn’t achieved by a memo or a term; it’s achieved by what happens at there local fire shed.
What Makes Residents Feel Safe
Safety is rooted in relationships, not just equipment. In rural communities like Kurrajong Heights, Bilpin, and Colo, people don’t measure safety by trucks or hoses they measure it by knowing who’s inside the shed.
When residents recognise their firefighters, they feel reassured that someone nearby understands their homes and terrain. That sense of local competence and familiarity reduces fear and panic when fire threatens.
“It’s not the sound of sirens that calms people, it’s knowing the crew in that truck are your neighbours on the way to help.”
The Fire Shed as a Social Anchor
The local fire shed is more than a depot it’s a community hub. During emergencies, it’s the local coordination point. During quieter months, it’s where barbecues and open days build trust and visibility.
Residents who engage with their local shed understand what Prepare. Act. Survive. means in practice; know where to go for accurate information and feel empowered, not helpless.
A busy, open, welcoming shed builds confidence before the first spark even flies.
Communication: The Key to Calm
During fire events, clear, frequent, and honest communication is the strongest safety tool. Brigades that use community meetings, social media, text alerts, and door-to-door briefings help residents make informed decisions reducing confusion and risk. Trust grows when brigades speak early, speak clearly, and speak consistently. A calm voice from the local shed can steady an entire town, and local public meetings giving updates of fire readiness signals competence and care.
“We’re watching. We’re ready. You’re not alone.”
The Ripple Effect Across Western Sydney
The collective behaviour of mountain brigades Kurrajong Heights, Kurrajong, Bilpin, Bowen Mountain, Mt Lagoon, Upper Colo and Colo Heights and others shapes the safety of the entire Western Sydney basin. Every cool burn and training rotation creates a buffer protecting the city below from smoke, ember attack, and air quality events.
Even if city residents never visit those mountain sheds, their safety depends on them.
Safety Is Shared
Residents feel safest when they know their fire shed is active, not locked and silent; their volunteers are visible and approachable; their community is part of the plan and their RFS is both technically skilled and socially connected.
When those elements align knowledge, visibility, and trust the bushfire threat still exists, but fear does not dominate.
Why This Story Matters to Western Sydney
The Hawkesbury sits at the frontline between Sydney’s expanding suburbs and one of the most bushfire-prone landscapes in the world.
When local brigades manage fuel safely and scientifically, they’re not just protecting mountain homes they’re protecting the lungs of Western Sydney, its water catchments, and its people.
Every cool burn, every well-maintained fire trail, and every engaged community adds another layer of safety for all of us.
That’s why the way we talk about fire and the way we plan for it matters.
