The Guidance Note for Outdoor Activities to prepare for Bushfire and Severe Weather Conditions (Version 4) has been updated to include the new national Fire Rating System.

The Guidance Note has been developed for the use by outdoor operators and others who are working with dependent participants, and should be used in conjunction with the Australian Activity Adventure Standard and Good Practice Guides.

Originally published by the Outdoor Recreation Centre Inc in 2009 and supported by the Victorian Outdoor Industry and the Victorian State Government, Version 2.3 has been compiled by the Incident Management and Risk Management Committee of Outdoors NSW & ACT for the benefit of the Outdoor sector in Australia. It is currently available for download from the Outdoor Council of Australia website.

The document is a ‘work in progress’ to be continually reviewed and improved over time. Comments and feedback for consideration and possible inclusion should be directed to secretariat@outdoorcouncil.asn.au .

Please note:

• This document is to be used by the industry in planning for severe weather and built into the activity’s risk management plan. It is not intended as a resource for the industry to be used whilst facing severe weather issues during an activity.
• When developing activity risk management plans, refer to the Australian Activity Adventure Standard and Good Practice Guides.