The South Australian Country Fire Service is urging South Australians to understand the new simplified Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS) which was officially launched earlier this year.
The new system is nationwide and is used to tell the community how dangerous a bushfire would be should one start and what to do to keep safe.
The AFDRS uses the latest science data and technology to improve the forecasting of fire danger, replacing the current McArthur System, which was developed in the 1960s.
It now consists of four levels including: Green - Moderate (Plan and prepare); Yellow - High (Be ready to act); Orange - Extreme (Take action now to protect your life and property); and Red - Catastrophic (For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas).
The AFDRS will also introduce a 'no rating' for those days where no proactive action is required by the community. On these days, individuals will still need to abide by local seasonal laws and regulations, but there is less risk of a fire spreading in a dangerous or life-threatening way. There will be no change to the conditions under which a total fire ban will be declared.
CFS Executive Director Operations, Brett Loughlin said the new system is aimed at improving public safety Australia-wide and will enable more accurate predictions of fire danger conditions.
"We encourage all South Australians, even those not directly in the line of fire, to become familiar with the new system to help keep family, friends and pets safe as we approach summer".
