Helping build resilience: New bushfire handbooks for practitioners and homeowners

Australians living in bushfire‑prone areas now have access to new, practical guidance to help make homes safer and more resilient: before, during and after a bushfire.

Standards Australia has released two new Bushfire Construction Handbooks, designed to turn complex technical requirements into clear, practical information that can be used in everyday decision‑making. Developed by the technical committee FP-020 on construction in bushfire-prone areas, the handbooks support homeowners and building practitioners to focus on the actions that most effectively help reduce bushfire risk and help protect property.

Importantly, the Homeowner’s Handbook is available free online, making trusted bushfire safety guidance accessible to all Australians.

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What’s in the new handbooks?

SA HB 208.2 Homeowner’s Handbook  

This handbook is written specifically for homeowners and people living in bushfire‑prone areas. It provides clear, step‑by‑step advice to help households:

• Reduce bushfire risks around the home
• Manage vegetation, landscaping and other property features
• Maintain day‑to‑day preparedness through regular upkeep and awareness
• Create and use a simple Property Bushfire Manual to guide ongoing care

The handbook recognises that bushfire safety is not just about how a home is built, it is also about how it is maintained over time. Making this resource free ensures more households can access nationally developed guidance to help protect their homes and families.

The Homeowner’s Handbook is available at no cost to support safer, more resilient communities across Australia.  

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SA HB 208.1 Practitioner’s Handbook

This handbook is designed for professionals involved in the design, construction and maintenance of homes in bushfire‑prone areas.

It provides practical guidance to support buildings that are:

• Designed and constructed to meet bushfire requirements
• Properly maintained to perform as intended over time
• Based on sound design and construction principles that improve long‑term resilience

While the handbook focuses primarily on houses and sheds (Class 1 and 10 buildings), much of the guidance may also be useful across other building types.

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Why this matters

Bushfires remain an ongoing risk for many Australian communities. These new handbooks help bridge the gap between technical building requirements and practical action, making it easier for homeowners to take informed steps to reduce risk.

By making the Homeowner’s Handbook free and easy to access, Standards Australia is supporting greater understanding at a household level and helping communities make safer, more informed decisions.

The handbooks also provide practical guidance that complements AS 3959, Construction of buildings in bushfire‑prone areas, which was last published in 2018. A revision of the standard has undergone two rounds of public consultation and is now progressing through the final stages of the standards development process.

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Important update for Victoria (from 1 May 2026)

Amendments to the Building Regulations 2018 mean that Regulation 157 has been removed in Victoria. From 1 May 2026, if a site is assessed as Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) Low, you no longer need to meet BAL 12.5 requirements.

Our handbooks will be updated soon to reflect this change for Victoria.