Overview
Cool Burn provides specialised bushfire planning and assessment services for tourism developments located in bushfire-prone areas. Since 2015, Cool Burn has partnered with Reflections Holiday Parks, a leading tourism operator in New South Wales, to conduct annual, pre-summer bushfire preparedness monitoring and assessment across its extensive portfolio of holiday parks.
Challenge
Many of Reflections’ holiday parks are situated in locations that are vulnerable to bushfire risk. Ensuring visitor safety and protecting valuable assets requires an ongoing and proactive approach to bushfire preparedness. The challenge was to establish a consistent monitoring framework and implement mitigation measures that would reduce risk, raise awareness, and strengthen resilience across multiple sites.
Solution
Cool Burn developed and continues to deliver a comprehensive annual bushfire preparedness program. This includes:
- Site-specific assessments to identify bushfire risks at each holiday park.
- Mitigation strategies based on bushfire protection measures such as:
- Establishing and maintaining Asset Protection Zones (APZs).
- Reviewing and upgrading vehicle access routes for emergency use.
- Implementing landscaping practices that reduce fuel loads.
- Assessing water supply, building design and construction standards.
- Strengthening emergency management arrangements for staff and visitors.
- Ongoing collaboration with Reflections to ensure actions are implemented before each bushfire season.
Impact
This long-term partnership has significantly improved bushfire awareness and preparedness across Reflections’ NSW holiday park portfolio. The proactive program helps safeguard guests, staff, and assets while providing peace of mind to visitors enjoying their stay in bushfire-prone areas. By embedding bushfire risk management into operations, Reflections Holiday Parks has set a benchmark for bushfire preparedness in the tourism sector.
