The Warnings and Incidents page uses a number of definitions to categorise and identify a fire / incident.

Fire Agency District

CFA, MFB and DEPI each have their own fire districts. Find out more.

Name of Fire / Incident

Each incident is given a name by the Incident Controller to assist in management of multiple incidents. The name does not always reflect the exact location of an incident but rather, serves as a marker for our Incident Management Teams.

Type of fire or incident

The following definitions describe the nature of the incident or emergency event.

Bushfire

A freely burning, uncontrolled and unplanned fire, which needs to be extinguished. It includes fires in woods or forest; mixtures of scrub, bush and grass; or plantation or nursery stock.

Grass

A type of fire which is a freely burning, uncontrolled and unplanned fire, which needs to be extinguished. It includes fires in woods or forest; mixtures of scrub, bush and grass; or plantation or nursery stock.

Structure

Fires involving or inside a building or structure, including houses, outbuildings, ships, tank farms and petrochemical complexes.

Non Structure

Fires outside a structure, including storage yards, vehicles, trains, rubbish and liquid fires.

Incident

Any incident where there is no fire. This includes car accidents, spills or leakage with no ignition.

Rescue

Any event where there is the possibility of someone being physically trapped in need of extrication, such as motor vehicle accidents (MVA), trench or industrial accidents.

False Alarm

A call received from an alarm system or the public where the fire brigade has attended and no fire or emergency situation has been found. In some cases a fire may be found but the incident is classified as a false alarm as there is no emergency; for example where a fire is being conducted in accordance with a permit.

MVA

Motor Vehicle Accident

Hazmat Incident

An incident involving chemicals but no fire, ranging from a petrol wash away as a result of a leak from an overfilled container to a large scale industrial chemical incident.

Other

An event which cannot be defined.

Status of fire or incident

Going

Any fire expanding in a certain direction or directions. (Spreading at the perimeter of the fire)

Contained

A fire is contained when its spread has been halted but may be still burning freely within the perimeter. Further work is required to bring the fire under control.

Controlled (or Under Control)

The time at which the complete perimeter of a fire is secured and no breakaway is expected. The fire only requires patrolling.

Safe

A fire is safe when it can be left without further patrol.

Size of fire or incident

The following definitions describe the approximate size of bushfires, grass fires, forest fires and scrub fires in the incident list.

Spot

A fire covering an area of less than 1/2 a hectare.

Small

A fire covering an area of 1/2 to 5 hectares.

Medium

A fire covering an area of 5 to 50 hectares.

Large

A fire covering an area of more that 50 hectares

Resources

Number of appliances and/or firefighters in attendance. The number displayed is the total number of resources in attendance at the date and time shown.