Cultural fire policy

1. NPWS recognises Aboriginal peoples’ use of fire is important to:
   • express and maintain culture, kinship and identity
   • support the health and wellbeing of Country, its people and kin
   • enhance and protect natural and cultural values and assets
   • continue to share knowledge and practice.
2. NPWS acknowledges that Aboriginal peoples have diverse cultural identities and values, which may shape their cultural fire practices and how they wish to learn, talk about and protect Country. Traditional lore provides guidance about kinship, community, how to interact with Country, and the importance of mutual obligation.
3. NPWS supports Aboriginal peoples’ right to determine their cultural objectives for cultural fire activities.

4. Aboriginal cultural fire knowledge and practice belong to Aboriginal people; it is their cultural and intellectual property. When working with Aboriginal people to manage Country, intellectual and cultural property rights apply and must be recognised, respected and properly addressed.

5. NPWS will act to ensure that cultural fire participants and observers, including NPWS Aboriginal staff, feel culturally safe. This means creating an environment where Aboriginal people are comfortable to be themselves and express their culture and spiritual beliefs.

6. The NPWS Fire management manual contains the policies and procedures for fire management planning and operations in the NSW national parks system. As set out in the manual, NPWS manages fire to protect life and property, and to conserve environmental and cultural values.
7. NPWS supports Aboriginal-led cultural fire activities and seeks to improve current fire management to better reflect and respect Aboriginal cultural knowledge and the health of Country.
8. NPWS recognises that cultural fire is just one part of broader traditional Aboriginal land management practices which support social, economic, environmental, cultural and spiritual outcomes. While it may have secondary benefits, like reducing fuel loads, its primary purpose is as a cultural practice to care for Country, rather than hazard reduction.
9. Cultural fire awareness and cultural capability will be integrated into NPWS staff training and on-ground experiences.

10. NPWS will facilitate Aboriginal people undertaking cultural fire activities on land within the national parks system, from Aboriginal communities informing burns that are performed by NPWS staff and other appropriately qualified community members, through to Aboriginal-led low-risk community cultural burns.
11. The internal NPWS Guidelines for community (low risk) cultural burning on NPWS managed lands guide staff facilitating low-risk community cultural burns or cultural burning programs.
12. NPWS employs many Aboriginal people and supports staff with fire management skills and cultural knowledge contributing to and leading cultural fire activities where appropriate.

13. NPWS will seek opportunities for NPWS staff involved with fire planning and management and Aboriginal people to share fire management knowledge. This includes planning, training, safety and environmental assessment, preparation, conduct, review and monitoring before, during and after a burn.
14. NPWS will support new and better ways to work with Aboriginal communities, Aboriginal organisations, and both the public and private sector to facilitate Aboriginal-led cultural fire activities in the NSW national parks system.
15. NPWS will work with Aboriginal people to contribute to wider-government monitoring, evaluation and reporting processes to describe cultural, environmental, economic and social outcomes of cultural fire.

16. Safety is a core consideration in all fire management activities.
17. Any fire operation involving NPWS, including cultural fire activities, will comply with relevant legislation, including the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.
18. NPWS will respect Aboriginal community wishes around cultural protocols, while also meeting its responsibility to ensure cultural fire activities are carried out safely. NPWS will take steps to minimise risks for everyone involved, including staff, Aboriginal community members, national park visitors and neighbours.
19. Low-risk community cultural burns must meet the requirements in the Guidelines for community (low risk) cultural burning on NPWS managed lands. The main aim of these guidelines is to ensure risk is reduced to an acceptable level.
20. A burn that does not meet the requirements specified in the guidelines can only proceed if it meets the prescribed burning provisions of the NPWS Fire management manual (includes individuals having recognised training, currencies, and personal protective equipment).

21. Country and custodianship are not defined by national park boundaries. Where practicable, NPWS will endeavour to engage with its neighbours, other land managers, and fire authorities to support cultural fire activities across different tenures.

Policy adopted 2016

Policy last updated September 2026

Scope and application

This policy applies to all lands acquired or reserved under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 except for lands reserved under Part 4A of the Act (unless the board of management for those lands has adopted the policy). However, NPWS staff can use the policy as guidance when working with boards of management and on Part 4A lands.

Objectives

The objectives of this policy are to:

• engage with, support, and enable Aboriginal communities to undertake cultural fire activities on NPWS-managed lands
• operate in conjunction with the Guidelines for community (low risk) cultural burning on NPWS managed lands to assist NPWS staff facilitating cultural burns
• support Aboriginal peoples strengthening their connection to Country
• support cultural burning as a tool to promote and protect culturally significant species and values
• integrate cultural fire values, knowledge and practices in the broader NPWS fire management framework, including identifying and protecting natural and cultural values and assets
• support capacity development for Aboriginal people to expand and lead cultural fire activities
• ensure the physical and cultural safety of staff and the Aboriginal community.

Definitions

Country

‘Country’ is the term often used by Aboriginal peoples to describe their relationship to the lands, native plants and animals, waterways and seas to which they are connected. The term contains complex concepts about lore, place, custom, language, spiritual belief, cultural practice, material sustenance, family, belonging and identity. Country is holistic, living and spirit runs all the way through it.

Cultural capability

Aboriginal cultural capability refers to the skills, knowledge, behaviours, and systems required by individuals to plan, support, improve and deliver outcomes in a culturally respectful and appropriate way.

Cultural capability cannot be achieved in one training session. It is a continuous journey and learning process that guides people in making culturally informed decisions and approaches to ensure policies, programs and services embed Aboriginal knowledge, respect Aboriginal cultures, and consider the impacts of colonisation and intergenerational trauma.

Cultural capability is different to cultural awareness and cultural competency. While cultural awareness and competency focus on individual awareness and interaction skills, cultural capability extends these skills and knowledge to organisational systems and practices.

It focuses on a deeper, more integrated understanding and engagement with Aboriginal cultures, histories, and perspectives.

Cultural fire 

The types of fires that Aboriginal people apply to the landscape as part of Aboriginal land management. It is an important cultural practice and more than the activation of fire in the landscape. Cultural fire is primarily undertaken to support the health of Country and involves a deep understanding of the complexities of seasonal indicators, lore, ceremony and songlines that also govern Aboriginal peoples’ connection and responsibility to Country.

Culturally informed fire management

Culturally informed fire management is fire management with culturally defined objectives and Aboriginal community partnership in planning and approval. Culturally informed burning may not always have Aboriginal people involved on the fire ground.

Low-risk community cultural burning

Low-risk community cultural burning is planned, led, directed and practised by Aboriginal people with the primary objective of maintaining and improving the health of Country, its people and kin.

It is a burn that would not normally meet the fire training and currency requirements, personal protective equipment, or other provisions of the NPWS Fire management manual but can be safely undertaken in accordance with the Guidelines for community (low risk) cultural burning on NPWS managed lands.