Our Year at a Glance

Building inspections on site help DFES staff and developers work through safety issues or test fire safety systems.

Bushfires are any uncontrolled vegetation fire, typically in bush, scrub or woodland.

A total fire ban is declared during extremely hot and dry weather or when fires are seriously stretching firefighting resources. It prohibits the lighting of any fires in the open air and any other activities that may start a fire.

Lightning can occur without a storm. When it strikes an area with a dry fuel load, fires result.

Without the contribution of volunteers, we would not be able to provide essential emergency services to communities across the State.

Structure fires include homes, caravans used as permanent dwellings, businesses and warehouses. 

The DFES Communications Centre is manned 24/7 with trained personnel to take emergency calls.

Our frontline crews use more than 26 different types of response vehicles. 

The Kimberley consistently receives the highest rainfall in WA.

The EmergencyWA website provides real-time emergency information, including incident locations, total fire ban notices and fire danger ratings.

Fire suppressants include water and other compounds that are not harmful to the environment. The aerial fleet works with frontline ground crews to extinguish fires more quickly than could be done with ground crews alone.

Pathways training builds volunteers’ skills and capability. Pathways also provides the opportunity to progress through the ranks and supports volunteer recognition, recruitment and retention. 

While Perth’s daily temperature can reach much higher, the average temperature has been lower over the last two years.

DFES supports WA Police and St John Ambulance at road crashes by freeing vehicle passengers, cleaning chemical spills and making the area safe.

Total fires includes bushfires, structure fires, vehicle fires and fires on power lines (pole-top fires).

Hazardous situations include chemical spills, gas and electrical hazards (such as fallen power lines).

Bushfire Ready Groups are designed to help communities prevent, prepare for and respond to bushfires. Community bushfire planning can reduce the impact of bushfires and aid faster recovery.

The program is offered to Year 3 students across the State, and teaches fire safety in the home and how to respond if a fire occurs. 

 DFES’ SES units and VMRS groups support WA Police in air, land and marine searches.  They provide rescue teams, incident management support, communications, search dogs, mounted teams, and local area knowledge.

These rescues include cliff rescues, animal rescues, freeing people locked in rooms, buildings and faulty lifts and marine recovery and towing to safety.

Severe storms cause damage right across WA. The SES supports communities to recover and clean up prior to any necessary repairs.