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.

Every year, specialist helicopter patrols check more than 13,000 kilometres of transmission lines and infrastructure across our statewide 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 bushfire risks and assess the condition of Transgrid towers and transmission lines.

Transgrid has now launched the 2025 bushfire prevention program, which includes helicopter inspections and 3D laser scanning.

Between May and September 2025 specialist helicopter crews will inspect transmission lines across the state.

This year we will have two helicopters in the air at the same time in the Wagga and Yass areas and in Sydney and Newcastle to enable us to complete inspections faster and at the same time.

A guide to this year’s planned flight schedule is below. Please note this is weather dependent and subject to change.

In addition to aerial patrols, thermographic surveying is conducted every two years to assess for any further defects in Transgrid transmission lines and their connection points.

Thermographic surveying allows for a deeper inspection through heat-sensitive technology to ensure the safety of our staff and community.

We are continuing to work closely with fire authorities and local communities to ensure the safe operation of our network during the 2024-2025 summer season.