Fire Wise Project Impact: Building Bushfire-Resilient Landscapes & Communities

The Fire Wise project launched in 2023 with a clear mission: to transform how communities prepare for bushfires by using nature as a partner, not a casualty. Residents, councils, Traditional Owners, and scientists have come together to learn, plant, and build resilience that will last beyond a single fire season.

Now, as this phase of the project concludes, its impact is clear. Thousands of native, low-flammability plants have been established, seed banks strengthened, and communities equipped with the skills and confidence to continue this work. Fire Wise has shown that protecting homes and landscapes does not have to come at the cost of biodiversity. It can build safer, stronger, and more connected communities ready to face future challenges.

What we achieved together

We partnered with 14 groups, uniting councils, local organisations, Traditional Owners, and scientists to bring Fire Wise to communities across South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales.

With support from FNPW, the Fire Wise project has delivered real, lasting change in how communities prepare for bushfires while supporting biodiversity.

Why native planting is part of fire safety

Native vegetation is often cleared under the belief it fuels bushfires, leading to biodiversity and habitat loss. However, many native plants, when used strategically, can help reduce fire spread, retain ground moisture, block radiant heat, slow winds, and filter embers.

Fire Wise demonstrates that protecting lives and homes can go hand-in-hand with supporting biodiversity and healthy landscapes. Instead of viewing nature as a threat, Fire Wise positions it as a key ally in bushfire preparedness.

What makes a plant “Fire Wise”?

Fire Wise plants are less likely to ignite, don’t produce embers easily, and retain moisture, which can slow fire spread. In addition, some may smoulder or give off steam instead of burning immediately, reducing fuel for advancing fires.

Examples include:

• Sea Berry Saltbush (Rhagodia candolleana)
• Tree Hakea (Hakea eriantha)
• Boobialla (Myoporum insulare)
• Lilly Pilly (Acmena smithii)
• Kidney Weed (Dichondra repens)

Note: No plant is fireproof, but the right species in the right place can reduce risks and buy critical time in a fire event.

Creating Green Fire Walls

Our Partner, South Gippsland Landcare Network, designed their Fire Wise demonstration sites using layered, strategic “green fire walls” inspired by the Lakes Entrance Landcare guide. 

Plant spacing is planned to prevent fires from climbing into canopies while supporting healthy landscapes. Additionally, low-growing, Fire Wise species are positioned near buildings, with trees set further back, while paths, lawns, and gravel breaks are used to separate planting areas. This careful design helps slow fire movement and adds extra protection around homes while maintaining a biodiverse environment.

The Fire Wise project approach

Strategic native planting

Fire Wise uses suppression planting with local, low-flammability species. Botanists and Traditional Owners collaborate to create region-specific plant lists, ensuring each community plants what will thrive while reducing fire risks and supporting habitat. These plantings create living barriers that slow fire progression and filter embers before they reach homes.

Community engagement and capacity building

Fire Wise empowers communities to:

• Research and select low-flammability native species
• Collect and propagate local seed
• Establish revegetation projects on public and private land
• Build local seed banks for future resilience

Demonstration plantings

Living seed banks and demonstration gardens showcase effective Fire Wise planting, illustrating how design, layering, and maintenance reduce risk while supporting biodiversity.

Building nursery networks

Fire Wise has strengthened 12 community nurseries to grow and supply local Fire Wise plants, ensuring communities can access the species needed for ongoing resilience.

The Mount Barker Fire Wise demonstration site

Why clearing isn’t the solution

After the 2019–2020 Black Summer bushfires, many communities were hesitant to replant, fearing native plants would increase fire risk. Fire Wise provided practical knowledge showing that strategic planting reduces risk and can be part of every fire plan.

Clearing land often creates open pathways for wind and embers, increasing fire spread. By contrast, a moderately dense canopy of native vegetation retains soil moisture, blocks radiant heat, and slows wind, creating a protective buffer around homes and infrastructure.

Long-term ecological resilience

Fire Wise is not just about fire prevention. By reintroducing fire-resistant native species to stabilise soil, prevent erosion, and support natural regeneration, the project helps communities recover after bushfires while building resilience for future seasons.

This work is especially important where communities and natural environments intersect, protecting people, homes, and biodiversity.

The strength of Fire Wise lies in its collaboration with:

• Fire science organisations for evidence-based practices
• Local ecologists and botanists for region-specific plant selection
• Fire services to align community action with emergency planning
• Landcare and Indigenous communities to integrate cultural knowledge and stewardship

Fire Wise has proven that fire safety and biodiversity can thrive together. As bushfire risks continue to grow, nature-based, community-led solutions are more important than ever. By engaging communities in planting, learning, and using cultural knowledge, Fire Wise is helping people prepare for and adapt to a changing fire landscape.

Want to get involved?

• Visit the Alexandrina Community Nursery on Fridays to purchase Fire Wise plants or learn more about Fire Wise gardening. Location: Kessell Road, Goolwa (near the Alexandrina Council Depot).

• Volunteer by getting in touch with us, and we can find your nearest nursery.

• Visit the demonstration garden at the Environmental Services Centre precinct (100 Springs Road, Mount Barker), next to the community native nursery, open every Thursday.

• Explore the Fire Wise Learning Hub for resources to help your community continue building resilience.

• Donate to our mission at FNPW.