- World-leading feature on Emergency WA app now helps users create a bushfire plan
- During emergencies users will get instant notifications to activate their plan
- Cook Government boosting community safety with reliable and timely information
A new world-first emergency planning tool has been added to the Emergency WA app and website to help residents and visitors prepare for emergencies this summer.
It means Western Australians will now be able to create a single plan for bushfires, cyclones, floods and storms, providing a one-stop shop on how to stay safe in an emergency.
By linking a plan to a watch zone in the Emergency WA app, users will receive instant notifications with prompts to activate their plan, saving precious time and reducing the potential for indecision during fast-moving hazards.
More than 246,000 people have downloaded the Emergency WA app, which was launched last December as part of the State Government's $16 million investment to ensure communities have a world-class warning system underpinned by cutting-edge research and technology.
Emergency WA is the State's most trusted source of emergency information, with more than 37 million page views in the past year and over 139 million since it was launched in 2016.
The Emergency WA model continues to set the standard for public information during emergencies, supported by Western Australian technology provider Genvis.
WA communities are encouraged to create an emergency plan and link it to a watch zone in the app ahead of the bushfire and cyclone season.
More than 93 per cent of Western Australia is considered bushfire prone and having an emergency plan could save your life or those of your loved ones.
The new capability replaces My Bushfire Plan, with the website remaining online until the end of March 2026.
Last season (1 November 2024 to 30 April 2025) there were 2,968 bushfires across the southern half of the State, burning 344,565 hectares.
Forty-six reached emergency warning level where lives and homes were under threat.
Since 1 November this year there have been 423bushfires between the Mid West, Gascoyne and Great Southern, with 189 in the Perth metropolitan area.
As stated by Emergency Services Minister Paul Papalia:
"This world-leading technology has the power to save lives and protect communities across Western Australia.
"Emergency WA has already proven to be a crucial source of information, and the new feature will allow people to create an emergency plan easier and faster, which will automatically activate when danger strikes.
"The Cook Government invested in the development of this app enhancing community safety for every Western Australian no matter where you live."
As stated by Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm AFSM:
"Our dedicated firefighters do an outstanding job during bushfire season but we need the community to understand that a shared responsibility is our best defence.
"Households need to have a plan to stay safe and I urge communities to create their emergency plan in the Emergency WA app so they know how to stay safe during a bushfire, cyclone, flood and storm.
"It takes just 15 minutes to make an emergency plan and it could save your life."
