NSW RFS’ Get Ready Weekend in The Hills and Hawkesbury
Mark your diaries, as this event will cover discussions for the upcoming fire season.
Save the date as multiple Rural Fire Brigades and Services will open their gates throughout North-Western Sydney for the “Get Ready Weekend” between 16th and 17th September 2023.
Multiple rural fire brigades and services in the Hills and Hawkesbury will join the event. Stations in Rouse Hill, Glenhaven, Kurrajong Heights, Bilpin, and Sackville will participate. Most stations will open at 10:00 and end at 2:00 PM.
To see the complete list of participating fire stations in Hawkesbury for Get Ready Weekend, visit the Hawkesbury City Council here.
Interested attendees are encouraged to contact their local brigade regarding their date and venue.
The open day is free to all community members. Firefighters will provide a closer look at the fire trucks and demonstrate what they do. There will also be a talk about this season’s fire risk and a discussion of advisable fire plans and actions to make homes safer.
The Get Ready Weekend is part of the annual statewide preparedness initiative typically held during September by the NSW Rural Fire Service to prepare for the upcoming bushfire season. The campaign aims to educate community members throughout 500 locations about the bushfire season and ways to minimise risks that can harm people and damage property. 
The NSW RFS creates and maintains active feeds on current alert levels on active and potential hazards and resources such as bushfire survival plan guidelines, risk assessment, fire danger ratings, and more on its website.
According to the Australasian Fire Authorities Council in their recent Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Spring 2023, large sections in Northern and Central NSW and parts of the coasts are “expected to see increased fire risk of fire this spring.”
This is due to high fuel loads throughout the state, worsened by the drier and warmer conditions. 
Other states with a heightened bushfire risk include the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria. Territories with lesser chances, such as the Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia, and Tasmania, are still encouraged to stay alert as weather conditions can change without notice.
