Prescribed burning involves the controlled setting of fires, during periods of lower fire risk. Prescribed burns are carried out to achieve one or more purposes including fuel management, flora and fauna management or commercial forest management (associated with re-establishment of harvested forests).

Prescribed burns are usually carried out in autumn or spring when the weather is milder and fire behaviour is easy to predict. While prescribed burn targets are set, not all planned prescribed burning is carried out. The actual ignition of burns depends on the combined suitability of weather conditions, available resources, fuel moisture and other 'prescribed' conditions.

Fuel reduction burning is risk reduction, not risk elimination. Extended abnormally dry conditions, in conjunction with low levels of soil moisture can still create the potential for extreme fire conditions and behaviour.

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