Bushfire Community Day 2025

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) Bushfire Centre of Excellence (BCoE) partnered with the Shire of Mundaring to host the fifth annual Bushfire Community Day at Mundaring Arena on Sunday 12 October 2025.

Thousands of community members attended the family-friendly event in the Perth Hills, enjoying markets, food trucks and a wide range of bushfire safety initiatives.

Bushfire preparedness was brought to life through hands-on activities, skills demonstrations and interactive exhibits. The day strengthened community connections by showcasing the dedication of local Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades (BFB) and Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS). Attending brigades included Chidlow BFB, Darling Range BFB, Darlington BFB, Glen Forrest BFB, Mt Helena BFB, Mundaring Fire School, Mundaring VFRS, Parkerville BFB, Stoneville BFB, Swayers Valley BFB and Wooroloo BFB.

Event attendees left with practical tips to prepare their homes and families for bushfire season, with resources including the Firewise Gardening in WA guide, BurnSmart and the Bushfire Preparation Toolkit.

The Forever Project guided residents through a firewise garden display, offering hands-on gardening advice for bushfire-prone areas. The BCoE Cultural Fire Program hosted yarning circle and child-focused activities exploring cultural fire practices.

DFES Superintendent BCoE Craig Garrett highlighted that residents could develop a plan for themselves and their properties in as little as 15 minutes through the Emergency WA app.

The RAC Rescue Helicopter and bushfire virtual reality simulation offered interactive experiences for event attendees. Rides were offered in the world’s smallest light tanker provided by the Association of Volunteer Bushfire Brigades and children took part in the popular firefighter obstacle course, learning key actions to take in bushfire situations.

The Bushfire Preparedness Trail provided attendees with the opportunity to connect with representatives from DFES Community Preparedness Directorate, Shire of Mundaring Emergency Management and Environment teams, Animals in Emergencies, Bureau of Meteorology, Salvation Army Emergency Services and Australian Red Cross.

Additional information and engagement opportunities were provided by DFES Bushfire Technical Services, DFES Fleet, Mundaring State Emergency Services, Urban Search and Rescue K9s, Disaster Relief Australia (DRA), Youth in Emergency Services Cadets and the NBN Muster truck.

DRA’s Big Map, displayed within Mundaring Arena, offered attendees a glimpse into their proximity to bushfire risk, community resilience measures and a range of potential hazards. 

“The Shire of Mundaring was heavily involved in bringing our volunteers together and ensuring strong representation from a bushfire-prone area,” Community Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator Craig Cuthbert said. “It was great to see the cadets on the day, and it shows that there’s going to be strong leadership moving forward.”

To learn more about the event, watch the Bushfire Community Day 2025 video.

For more information, contact the BCoE at bushfirecoe@dfes.wa.gov.au or visit dfes.wa.gov.au/bushfirecoe.