Communicating bushfire risk in the Blue Mountains : a case study of the Fire Stories film

This article presents a case study of bushfire risk communication in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia is one of the most bushfire-prone areas in the world. A documentary film, 'Fire Stories - A Lesson in Time was locally produced to raise community awareness of the risk of fire. The film presented a devastating bushfire event for townships in the Blue Mountains in 1957. The film was released in 2013 just months before devastating fires again struck the region. The impact of viewing the film in relation to the 2013 fires was evaluated. The film was found to have contributed to community resilience in areas of fire preparedness and response. This evaluation highlights the need for alternative, communitybased approaches to enhance the effectiveness of community bushfire safety endeavours.