2026 Get Fire Ready – Host an event this October 

 

As bushfire risk continues to increase and recent fire events have demonstrated the devastating impact fires can have on our communities, strengthening preparedness and resilience has never been more important. 

 

The Bureau of Meteorology's outlook points to a continuation of warmer-than-average conditions and an increased likelihood of below-average rainfall across much of southern and eastern Australia.

While winter rainfall has provided some relief in parts of the state, the forecast suggests drying across the landscape through spring, with above-average daytime and overnight temperatures expected to accelerate the curing of grasses and drying of fine fuels.  

The persistence of El Niño conditions into spring and potentially summer may increase the likelihood of elevated fire danger periods, particularly across western and central Victoria where grassfire risk can escalate rapidly under warm, windy conditions.  

For CFA, these conditions reinforces the importance of maintaining preparedness activities. Get Fire Ready 2026 will run from 1 October to 3 November this year. Get Fire Ready will extend into early November to include the Cup weekend, reflecting feedback from the field. 

CFA encourages all brigades to host a Get Fire Ready (GFR) event this year, which is an important opportunity to help local communities prepare for the fire season ahead. 

Events can be large or small and tailored to local needs, including open days, information sessions, pop-ups in high-traffic locations, or fire safety conversations at community events such as markets and festivals. 

Building on the success of the inaugural 2025 campaign, Get Fire Ready is a statewide, month-long initiative that helps strengthen community resilience ahead of Victoria’s fire season. 

Designed to engage people at a local level, GFR shifts the focus from awareness to action. It encourages community members to take simple, practical and achievable steps to prepare their homes, properties and families before summer. 

The campaign aims to make bushfire preparedness a routine seasonal activity for Victorians. Brigades can support attendees to complete at least one preparedness action during or immediately after their event, such as starting or updating a fire plan, preparing their property or downloading the VicEmergency app and setting up a watch zone. 

This is particularly important in higher-risk areas, where brigades have a valuable opportunity to engage with their communities and help people understand their local fire risk and the actions they can take to be better prepared. 

To support event delivery, brigades can work with their Brigade Admin Support Officers (BASOs) to plan their activities in CFA's Community Engagement Activity Reporting Tool (ART). 

Brigades can access a range of Get Fire Ready resources, including campaign resources, household information bags, children's activity materials, promotional giveaways and other resources to assist with event planning, delivery and local promotion, as well as training opportunities and practical resources to help members build confidence and capability in community engagement. 

Brigades that host a Get Fire Ready event between 1 October and 3 November and complete an activity record in ART will also receive a $250 cost offset payment. 

 

Submitted by	News and Media