Campfires
Some of the best memories are created while sitting around a campfire with friends and family, but fires in the Australian bush must be carefully maintained and responsibly managed.
Before you light a campfire
- Be aware of the fire danger ratings and days of total fire bans by using the CFA website.
- Never light a fire on days of total fire ban.
- Check that the campsite you’ve found allows campfires.
- At every possibility, use an established fire pit.
- If in doubt, do not light a fire.
Campfire safety tips
- Follow the campfire regulations in your state.
- Never leave a campfire unattended.
- Always ensure that someone is attending to a lit campfire and always has it in sight.
- Someone must be always within 50 metres of a lit campfire.
- Do not light a solid fuel campfire unless the ground and airspace within a distance of 3 metres from the outer perimeter and uppermost point of the fire are clear of flammable material. This includes solid fuel barbeques.
- Do not light a solid fuel fire or barbeque that is more than 1 square metre in any direction or a dimension of any piece of the solid fuel is more than one metre.
- Keep a bucket of water next to your fire, just in case.
- Make sure that a campfire is completely extinguished, and the coals are cool to touch with bare hands before leaving. This is the most important part of having a campfire and can often take around 20 buckets of water to achieve.
In an emergency
In an emergency or if you see an illegal campfire, call 000. Every camper has a duty under the law to reasonably prevent the spread of any campfire and to contact the police immediately if the fire is spreading.
Protect the environment
- Don’t cut or burn hollowed logs as these are the habitat for our native animals.
- Don’t damage or cut down trees and plants. They all play a role in keeping our rivers healthy and our fish happy.
- Leave all trees standing. Do not cut down trees, it’s illegal, and it’s also extremely dangerous.
Campfires on licensed Crown water frontage
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning have supplied a summary of the rules for camping on designated Crown water frontage campsites – the campfire rules are listed below:
- Campfires may be permitted in some designated areas – check the details of each area for campfire rules.
- Firewood collection is prohibited.
- No cutting, felling, picking, damaging or destroying of vegetation, whether alive or dead.
Fire Safety Resources
To keep updated about fire ratings and total fire bans in Victoria, visit:
To keep updated about fire ratings, total fire bans and other emergencies in Victoria, visit:
To keep updated about fire safety information via Forest Fire Management Victoria, visit: