The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), part of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (formerly Department of Planning and Environment), manages more than 9% of the land area of New South Wales as national park, nature reserve, state conservation area, World Heritage area, historic site, Aboriginal area, flora reserve, karst conservation reserve and regional park. Much of this area is remote from access infrastructure and is some of the most rugged and bushfire-prone country in south-eastern Australia. These areas have been reserved to conserve their natural and cultural values, including their biodiversity, landscapes, Aboriginal sites, historic structures and recreational settings.
NPWS recognises fire as a natural and recurring factor shaping the NSW environment. NPWS also acknowledges that altered fire regimes may pose a significant threat to human life, property and other values, including biodiversity, cultural heritage and tourism, and that climate change will continue to exacerbate these risks.
