Back

Bushfire Area Access Strategy

Project Overview

Bushfire Area Access

Bushfires pose a significant threat to people, property and infrastructure in the Shire of Mundaring.

Landowners, the Shire and state agencies share a duty of care to mitigate this risk through vegetation management, improving building resilienceand enhancing access arrangements to prevent potential entrapment.

Following community concerns after the 2009 Victorian fires, the Shire conducted an Access Audit to identify and address inadequate evacuation routes. This informed the ‘Shire of Mundaring Bushfire Area Access Strategy’, established in 2016 to systematically improve access arrangements. Resident feedback and updated audits continue to guide the annual prioritisation of road and access way improvements /installations during the budget process.

Next Steps and Staying Informed

This webpage will be updated with information on proposed upcoming works.

A total of 340 roads were identified in the Access Audit and have been prioritised based on factors such as directly impacted resident numbers, vehicle counts and the bushfire risk rating. Each year, the highest‑ranked projects are reviewed in more detail and costed before being scheduled as proposed works.

If you’d like to discuss how the Strategy or Audit relates to your street or local area, please contact the Shire to arrange a conversation.

Project Document Library

Who's Listening

Strategy Timeline

  • 2009 Shire of Mundaring, Community Safety Access Audit prepared.
  • 2015 Shire of Mundaring, Community Safety Access Audit reviewed.
  • 2016 Shire of Mundaring, Bushfire Area Access Strategy endorsed.
  • 2017 Shire of Mundaring, Emergency Road Access Improvement Program an ongoing Infrastructure Services team program.
  • 2018 Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), Bushfire Risk Management System a statewide system that enables the identification and risk rating of assets.
  • 2023 Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH), Bushfire Areas Vehicular Access Strategy 2023 (draft) DPLH data gathered whilst utilising the Shire of Mundaring for a pilot project highlighted 244 potential entrapment points (some of which were already captured through the Shire’s Audit).
  • 2023 Main Roads WA, Road Classification local traffic counts plus arterial, class and criteria scores.
  • 2024 Shire of Mundaring, Community Safety Access Audit reviewed.
  • 2025 Shire of Mundaring, Bushfire Area Access Strategy reviewed and re-endorsed.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Mundadjalina-k ngala kaditj Noongar moort nidja Wadjak boodjar-ak kalyakool moondang-ak kaaradj-midi.
Ngala Noongar Moort wer baalabang moorditj kaadidjiny koota-djinanginy.
Ngala Noongar wer Torres Strait Moort-al dandjoo koorliny kwaba-djinanginy.
Koora, yeyi wer kalyakool, ngalak Aboriginal wer Torres Strait birdiya wer moort koota-djinanginy.

Shire of Mundaring respectfully acknowledges the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation, who are the traditional custodians of this land.
We acknowledge Elders past, present and emerging and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the region.