National bushfire fuel map

A map of Australia that is shaded in different colours to show different fuel types.

Australia-wide fuel types generated using the Bushfire Fuel Classification fuel typology. This shows the simplified top-tier BFC fuel types.

Australia-wide fuel types generated using the Bushfire Fuel Classification fuel typology. This shows the simplified top-tier BFC fuel types.

The National Bushfire Intelligence Capability (NBIC) has released an innovative map that categorises Australian fuel types and their extents using the Bushfire Fuel Classification (BFC) framework 1,2 .

The Bushfire Fuels Classification framework is a detailed system that classifies different types of vegetation into fuel types that can then be linked to fire behaviour models.

Why is this important?

This new dataset is a significant leap forward in the science of fuel mapping in Australia. It offers up-to-date, consistent, and automated data, primarily derived from satellite imagery.

This means we can now get a more accurate and timely understanding of the vegetation structure across the country, which is used for predicting and managing bushfire hazard.

A table that shows different colours associated with different canopy heights and foliage cover that make up the Bushfire Fuels Classification fuel type dataset.

A table that shows different colours associated with different canopy heights and foliage cover that make up the Bushfire Fuels Classification fuel type dataset.

The Bushfire Fuel Classification top-tier fuel types.

The Bushfire Fuels Classification dataset is the second data release under Stage 2 of the National Bushfire Intelligence Capability.

This initiative was launched in response to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, which highlighted the need for a national approach to understanding fuel loads (Recommendation 17.3 – classification, recording and sharing of fuel load data).

This groundbreaking work has been reviewed and approved by various NBIC governance bodies, and continues to be improved as advances in understanding and science are made available.

What does this mean for Australia?

With bushfires becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change, having a detailed and accurate national map of fuel types is more critical than ever.

This dataset will help government agencies better predict fire behaviour and prepare for catastrophic national bushfire events.

The National Bushfire Intelligence Capability is funded by the Australian Climate Service, led by CSIRO and supported by the National Emergency Management Agency.

We collaborate with national, state, and territory agencies to enhance our understanding and management of bushfire hazard. This collaborative approach ensures that we are better prepared to face the challenges posed by bushfires in the future.

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References

Journal paper

Joshi Rakesh C., Cruz Miguel G., Donohue Randall J. (2025) Nationally consistent mapping of wildland fuel types across Australia using satellite-derived vegetation structural data. International Journal of Wildland Fire 34, WF24224. https://doi.org/10.1071/WF24224

Data collection

Joshi, Rakesh; Gomes Da Cruz, Miguel; Donohue, Randall; Opie, Kimberley; & Sarker, Chandrama (2025): Bushfire fuel classification fuel types map. v5. CSIRO. Data Collection. https://doi.org/10.25919/vnma-0j64

Footnotes

  1. Cruz, M. G., Gould, J. S., Hollis, J. J., & McCaw, W. L. (2018). A Hierarchical Classification of Wildland Fire Fuels for Australian Vegetation Types. Fire, 1(1), 13. https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/1/1/13 ↩︎
  2. Hollis, J. J., Gould, J. S., Cruz, M. G., & Lachlan McCaw, W. (2015). Framework for an Australian fuel classification to support bushfire management. Australian Forestry, 78(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049158.2014.999186 ↩︎