Campfire rules for camping in Australia

Three checks before lighting

Read the campground rules, check the relevant state fire authority and look for local park alerts. Complete fire bans override normal campground permission.

Gas cookers can also be restricted during severe conditions. Check the rule for the appliance, not only open fires.

Firewood and setup

Collecting timber is prohibited in many parks because fallen wood is habitat. Bring clean, untreated firewood only where the land manager allows it.

Use an existing fireplace, clear the immediate area as directed and keep water beside you. Never light beneath branches or in strong wind.

Put it out cold

Extinguish with water, stir the remains and repeat until everything is cold enough to touch. Sand can hide hot embers rather than extinguish them.

Never leave a fire unattended, including while sleeping. If wind rises or conditions feel wrong, put it out.

Fire danger ratings and total fire bans

Australia uses a national Fire Danger Rating system with four levels from Moderate to Catastrophic, published daily by district. Total fire bans are declared separately and prohibit all open flame regardless of the rating.

On a total fire ban day, campfires and solid fuel barbecues are prohibited. Gas appliances are generally permitted with conditions including a cleared area and constant attendance, but the specific ban wording governs.

Ratings and bans are published each afternoon for the following day. Check them daily in summer rather than relying on how the weather feels, because the declaration is based on forecast conditions.

Where fires are permitted at all

Many national parks prohibit campfires permanently, particularly in arid zones where firewood collection destroys habitat that takes decades to form. Others permit them only in provided fireplaces.

Collecting firewood is prohibited in most national parks and reserves. Bring your own from outside the area, and be aware that some regions also restrict moving firewood to limit pest spread.

Check the specific campground page rather than the state-wide position. The land manager's rule is stricter than the fire danger system in many places and applies year round.

Building and controlling a legal fire

Where permitted, use an existing fireplace, keep the fire small, clear combustible material well back and have water immediately beside you rather than in the vehicle. Never light in wind or under overhanging branches.

Typical legal conditions specify a maximum fire size, a cleared radius of several metres and constant adult attendance. These apply outside total fire bans as well, and breaching them carries penalties.

Never leave a fire unattended, including while it burns down. Most escaped campfires start after the people who lit them decided it was nearly out.

Putting it out and the consequences

A fire is out when it is cold to the touch. Douse it, stir the ashes, douse again and keep going until you can put your hand in the remains. Embers survive under ash for many hours.

Escaped fires carry severe penalties in every state, including large fines and imprisonment where negligence is established. You can also be liable for suppression costs, which run into very large sums.

If a fire escapes, do not attempt to fight it beyond the first seconds. Move away and call triple zero immediately with the clearest location you can give.

Cooking when fires are banned

Gas cookers are generally permitted on total fire ban days subject to conditions: a cleared area, a person in attendance and immediate access to water. Check the specific ban wording, because conditions vary by state.

Never cook inside a tent, an awning or an unventilated vehicle. Carbon monoxide is odourless and has killed campers, and the risk is highest in exactly the cold or wet conditions that tempt people indoors.

Keep a lightweight gas cooker in the vehicle permanently, because a total fire ban can be declared with a day's notice and it removes any dependence on lighting a fire.

Fire danger ratings are published each afternoon for the following day, so checking them the evening before gives you time to change plans rather than react.

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