GuideAustralia
Advice, Watch and Act, Emergency Warning
Australia warns about bushfires in three levels: Advice (yellow), Watch and Act (orange) and Emergency Warning (red). Of the 1,622 bush and grass fires in AreaZine's NSW Rural Fire Service record since 7 Apr 2026, 921 (57%) stayed at Advice, 0 reached Watch and Act and 1 reached Emergency Warning; 700 carried no public level. The record has days with no data (listed on the fires page), so these are counts of the fires recorded, not of every fire.
By AreaZine · Updated · written with AI tools and checked against the agencies' records (editorial policy)
The three levels
| Level | What it means | NSW fires in AreaZine's record |
|---|---|---|
| Advice (yellow) | A fire has started; there is no immediate danger. Stay up to date. | 921 |
| Watch and Act (orange) | Conditions are changing and there is a heightened level of threat: act now to protect yourself. | 0 |
| Emergency Warning (red) | The highest level: you may be in danger and need to take action immediately. | 1 |
| No level | The RFS gives no public level (a small fire, often already under control). | 700 |
Source: NSW Rural Fire Service major incidents feed; Australian Warning System. Data as of record since 7 Apr 2026.
Warning levels are not fire danger ratings
A warning level describes a fire that is burning. A fire danger rating (Moderate, High, Extreme, Catastrophic) is a forecast of how dangerous a fire would be if one started, issued for each fire weather area. A total fire ban can be declared on days of high danger.
Where to follow a fire
NSW Rural Fire Service's Fires Near Me map and app are the live source for New South Wales; other states have their own services. AreaZine keeps the record after the event.