Bushfire management
Council's bushfire management program helps to protect and maintain ecosystems in the coast's 8,300 hectares of council environment reserves.
The bushfire management program targets fire adapted forest.
Community safety
We are committed to the safety of the Sunshine Coast community, in relation to fire and smoke:
- report any threats to life and property, call 000 (triple zero)
- any residents affected by smoke are advised to close windows and doors, utilise air-conditioning and keep respiratory medication close at hand. Seek medical advice if you are susceptible to smoke impacts
- as a precaution, road users are advised to drive to suit conditions as smoke can reduce visibility
- further health information can be found on the Queensland Government website.
Our bushland reserve network fire management guidelines (PDF, 4334KB) identify the range of bushfire management issues relevant to council and the actions required to address them.
Within council environment reserves, we undertake activities to reduce the risk of bushfires including:
- making and maintaining fire trails and fire breaks
- planning, assessing and managing bushfire risk
- planned burns to reduce fuel loads and maintain ecosystems
- mapping planned and unplanned fires
- participating in regional fire management planning and supporting the Queensland Fire Department and Local Disaster Management Group in unplanned bushfire events as required.
Annual planned burn program (2024)
Planned burns usually take place across the region between March and September. Planned burns help to maintain healthy forests and reduce fuel loads before the typical Spring bushfire season.
An exact day for a planned burn cannot be provided in advance. Burning is highly dependent on suitable weather and site conditions. These conditions include temperature, soil moisture, humidity, wind-speed and wind direction. When a fire can’t go ahead, it will be reassessed against emerging priorities and may be rescheduled.
Advance notice of any upcoming burn will be placed on this page (refer to the planned burn notification and interactive map below) or on council’s Facebook page.
Planned burn notification
There are currently no planned burn notifications.
2025 Proposed planned burn list
The interactive burn area map also provides details of proposed upcoming and recently completed planned burns. This information may change.
| Status | Burn Area (hectares) | Reserve Name | Locality | Closest Street Location | Lot Plan | Electoral Division |
| Pending | 4.7 | Glasshouse Mountains Environment Reserve | GLASS HOUSE MOUNTAINS | Fullertons Road | 901SP179358 | Division 1 |
| Pending | 0.8 | Hardie Buzacott Wildflower Reserve West | MOFFAT BEACH | Corner of Ulm Street and Grigor Street West | 24RP8432 | Division 2 |
| Pending | 4.7 | Mount Ninderry Environment Reserve | NINDERRY | Ninderry Road and Chants Road (unformed road) | 976CP889198 & 100SP277876 | Division 9 & 10 |
| Pending | 12.7 | Frizzo Environment Reserve & Frizzo Bushland Reserve Network | PALMVIEW | Kingfisher Crescent | 509SP292036 & 101SP136910 | Division 5 |
| Pending | 1.3 | Doonan Creek Environment Reserve | PEREGIAN SPRINGS | Thomson Place | 15SP154207 | Division 9 |
| Pending | 5.2 | Doonan Creek Environment Reserve | PEREGIAN SPRINGS | Ridges Boulevard and Heron Road (unformed road) | 468CG1479 | Division 9 |
| Pending | 4.5 | Verrierdale Rise Conservation Area / Environment Reserve | VERRIERDALE | Butler Road | 11SP142405, 10SP142405 & 8SP142405 | Division 9 |
| Pending | 6.7 | Gull'bu rah Environment Reserve | YANDINA CREEK | Fig Tree Lane | 2SP305256 | Division 9 |
Using the planned burn area map
Click ‘OK’, zoom in to an area of interest. Red polygons are proposed planned burns and will show the year when zoomed in. Previous or completed burns appear on the map also, they are dark polygons with a white outline and are labelled with a year. Click on a polygon to show details of the burn site. A table view is available using the layer icon.
Completed burns 2024
- Lower Mooloolah River Environment Reserve, Claymore Road / Laxton Road, Palmview - 19 September 2024
- Doonan Creek Environment Reserve, The Avenue, Peregian Springs - 5 September 2024
- Isabel Jordan Bushland Reserve, Caloundra Road / Pathfinder Drive, Caloundra West - 27 August 2024
- Jill Chamberlain Bushland Reserve, Caloundra Road / Winchester Road, Little Mountain - 1 August 2024
- Bobbie Sattler Nature Refuge, Fred Chaplin Circuit, Corbould Park – 23 July 2024
- Doonan Creek Environment Reserve, Thomson Place, Peregian Springs - 20 June 2024
- Mt Ninderry Environmental Reserve, Collins Road, Ninderry - 17 April and 12 June 2024
- Doonan Creek Environment Reserve, Doonan Bridge Rd, Verrierdale - 4 June 2024
Fire and ecological management
Fire is a critical part of ecosystem function and health for many ecosystems and the species that rely on them. Our fire management program addresses bushfire risk to the community, but also contributes to the ecological management of environment reserves. Our fire management program includes an established ecological monitoring program for monitoring ecological response to fire and informs management. The monitoring program aims to appropriately manage fire adapted species and ecosystems, as well as those that are sensitive to fire. Council is an active member of the Qld Fire and Biodiversity Consortium and we apply established ecological guidelines and principals when planning and implementing fires.
Fire management plans
Council prepares fire management plans for larger council reserves. New plans are now in digital map format and are not provided here at this stage. Our digital fire management plans include planning and operational information. The plans include information relating to:
- ecology
- cultural heritage
- burn area units and management zones
- operational considerations
- asset risk
- fuel loads
- access and containment
- preferred weather and site conditions.
Some information on council's planned burn program can be viewed in the below video.
For general queries relating to council's fire management program please contact council.
Note: fire trail and fire break mowing may be delayed by rain events or elevated fire danger periods. It will occur when site conditions improve or during the next scheduled maintenance period.
The Queensland Fire Department is the primary provider of fire, emergency management and disaster mitigation programs throughout Queensland. For useful information and services including permits to burn, community safety and preparation please visit their website.
For details about other ways council is managing our natural environment view our environment page.