Managing bush fire risk

The Transgrid Electricity Network Safety Management System annual report focuses on bush fire compliance and reporting.  

The reports identifies risks to, and foreseeable threats posed by, our assets and activities that could cause a bush fire. It also identifies controls that we have applied to ensure the risk of bush fire to Transgrid and the community is as low as practicably possible.

Our Managing Bush Fire Risk factsheet outlines the procedures we have in place to minimise the risks of bush fire around our assets and communities where we operate.

Our comprehensive maintenance program ensures the network is safe for our people and the community. Our Bush Fire Risk Management Plan outlines our responsibility for managing the potential impact of bush fires on our electricity network assets. The plan outlines hazardous events of concern, and describes how we manage the associated risk.

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Preparing for bush fire season

The Rural Fire Service has a number of tools and fact sheets available to assist you in preparing for bush fire season including:
  • Get Ready For a Bush Fire – Four simple steps to making your bush fire survival plan
  • Bush Fire and Your Home – Prepare your home and property for bush fires
  • Information for rural landholders and farmers – helps NSW rural land holders prepare for and prevent bush fires.

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Reporting issues

Call our emergency number 1800 027 253 whenever you see:

  • Fallen powerlines
  • Damaged power poles or tower structures
  • Vegetation and tree encroachment or powerlines
  • Sparks or fire coming from Transgrid assets

Do not approach fallen powerlines as these can induce dangerous voltages many meters from the conductor.

Bush fire fact sheet

We have undertaken a Formal Safety Assessment specifically focused on bush fire risk, as part of our Electricity Safety Management System. This assessment has identified foreseeable threats posed by our assets and activities that could cause a bush fire, as well as the risk to our assets from bush fire. We adhere to the following principles:
  • Designed Right
  • Built Right
  • Operated Right
  • Maintained Right

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Aerial patrols

Every year, specialist helicopter patrols check more than 13,000 kilometres of transmission lines and infrastructure across our state-wide network.

Annual inspections are an important part of our comprehensive maintenance program, and ensure the transmission network is safe for our staff and the community. 

The patrols check for vegetation encroachments along transmission line easements, identify potential bush fire risks and assess the condition of Transgrid towers and transmission lines. 

2024 Thermography

Transgrid is scheduled to begin thermographic inspections of our network starting June 20th. These inspections are conducted to identify 'hot spots' along our transmission line assets, which are crucial for maintaining the integrity and reliability of our power lines. Below is the schedule outlining the areas impacted each week:

 

Dates Areas
Week 1: June 20 - June 26 Eastern Creek, Dural, Picnic Point, Kemps Creek, Regentville, Vineyard, Holroyd, Hawkesbury River, Liverpool, Ingleburn, Macarthur, Avon, Dapto, Kangaroo Valley
Week 2: June 27 - July 3 Marulan, Dapto, Avon, Goulburn, Yass, Bannaby, Black Springs, Rye Park SWS, Canberra
Week 3: July 4 - July 10 Yass, Marulan, Bannaby, Crookwell, Capital WF, Canberra, Jindabyne, Bango WF, Cowra, Burrinjuck, Tumut, Spring Flat, Queanbeyan, Guthega, Geehi, Murray
Week 4: July 11 - July 17 Orange North, Molong, Manildra, Parkes, Wellington
Week 5: July 18 - July 24 Tamworth, Gunnedah, Boggabri, Narrabri
Week 6: July 25 - July 31 Bayswater, Liddell, Newcastle, Tomago, West Wallsend, Koolkhan, Lismore, Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Boambee South

These inspections are expected to continue until the end of July, ensuring comprehensive coverage across the regions. Please note that weather conditions and other unforeseen factors may impact the schedule. We will provide updates promptly if there are any changes.

2024 Helicopter patrols

Aerial bushfire safety inspections for 2024 are currently being carried out. The helicopter will fly above transmission lines at about 50 kilometres per hour.

Weather permitting, Transgrid will inspect transmission lines in or near the following areas from September 2-6:

• ACT: Canberra and Williamsdale

• Southern Tablelands: Yass

• Snowy Mountains: Cabramurra, Cooma, Jindabyne, Khancoban, Talbingo.

For more information, please contact our toll-free hotline on 1800 222 537.

Resources

Fact sheets

Document

Bushfire Fact Sheet

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