In 2013, New South Wales faced a number of significant periods of increased fire danger and fire activity.

In January, Catastrophic fire danger ratings were experienced across large population centres, along with a number of destructive fires which destroyed more than 50 homes. This presented a number of challenges, including the need to warn people over extensive areas and at one of the busiest times of the year for some holiday locations.

Across September and October, NSW again faced a period of dramatically increased fire danger with fires destroying more than 200 homes in areas including the Blue Mountains, Port Stephens, Central Coast, Western Sydney and Southern Highlands. This fire event, in which a State of Emergency was declared, saw an unprecedented level of public interest, particularly through mass media, websites and social media.

These fire events were one of the first major tests of the new, mainly nationally consistent warning arrangements which were introduced in 2009.

The presentation will be a case study of the experience of NSW across the 2013 fires, including the extensive use of mass media to deliver information and warnings, and social media as a delivery mechanism and a source of fireground information and intelligence.

The presentation will also include the results of extensive community research undertaken by the NSW RFS and Bushfire CRC, which has looked at the community response to information and warnings during these events.