The Hills District Rural Fire Brigades and The Hills Shire Council are urging residents to prepare now, launching the 4 Weeks to Fire Ready Challenge ahead of what forecasters warn could be a tough summer.
Bushfires have shaped life in The Hills for decades. Glenhaven and Annangrove burned in 1975, Kenthurst in 1991, and the region was hit again in 1994 and in 2002, when fires tore through Maroota South, Glenorie and Kenthurst. A firefighter who attended the 1991 Kenthurst blaze recalled: “Our tankers were the first on the scene and were powerless to control the blaze.” Another, present at Glenorie in 2002, said it was “something you’ll never forget, and hope you never have to face again.”
More than six years have passed since Australia’s last major bushfire season drew global headlines. Since then, COVID, population growth and new housing have reshaped suburbs including Box Hill, North Kellyville and Annangrove — but the underlying fire risk hasn’t gone anywhere.
Conditions this year are raising concern. With El Nino established, forecasters expect above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall. A dry autumn has already left parts of NSW unusually parched, with some regions in drought, and if that pattern holds, fire activity could pick up through spring and into the 2026–27 season.
The challenge runs as follows:
- Week 1: Discuss – What’s your plan? Will you stay or will you go? Have the conversation.
- Week 2: Prepare – Get your go-kit ready, clean up your property, and reduce your risk.
- Week 3: Know – Understand fire danger ratings, alerts, and where to find trusted information.
- Week 4: Keep – Keep your plan up to date and stay informed.
Organisers point out that most homes aren’t lost to flames directly but to ember attack — burning embers that can travel kilometres ahead of a fire front and ignite gutters, gardens and even new-build homes. Fire can also move faster than a truck can respond, which is part of why a written plan matters.
Community meetings will be held across The Hills through the season, giving residents a chance to ask questions and meet local firefighters face to face. Sign-up is via QR code or at https://mailchi.mp/rfs/4w2fr2026, and local RFS brigades will also run Get Ready Weekend events throughout September for anyone who’d rather register in person.
