Children's Bush Fire Collection

The NSW RFS Library has a collection of Australian children's literature, including juvenile fiction and picture books, that focus on bushfires for younger readers.

Members, schools and interested groups are welcome to borrow books from this select collection of children's literature to assist in engaging children in thinking about bushfires.

To borrow any of the books listed below, please contact the NSW RFS Library. Loan periods are for four weeks. 

The NSW RFS Library would be grateful for donations of similar themed children's literature or copies of titles listed below, either new or used copies in good condition, to enhance the Children's Bush Fire collection.

Photo (top) Vicky Kenna reading to the children at Dalaigur Pre-School, Kempsey. 

Photo (middle) Lesley Smith reading to children at NSW RFS HQ.

Photo (bottom) Elizabeth Estbergs reading to children from Bungendore.

Quotes

"We used Bertie and the Great Jellyland Bushfire yesterday with a group of about 150 kids between 0 and 8 most really like the story and when we got to the activity we had them make a paper plane (we used yellow paper to match Bertie) they got into the swing and had a great time." 

District Officer Graham Brown, Liverpool Range Zone, September 2015.

"We have a collaborative infants’ class of Kindergarten, Year 1 and 2. We began the session with a discussion predicting the possible content of the text. The children were very insightful and accurate in their predictions. We then read the narrative, pausing to talk about the feelings of the characters in response to the changing environment. The illustrations were excellent in generating discussions between peers and as a whole class. During the session, we focused on the safety aspect, asking the children to share what they would do in particular bushfire scenarios. They were then asked to design posters about bushfire safety. The results were beautiful, with phrases and drawings around, "Call 000", "Get down low and go, go, go!”, "Stop, drop and roll", etc. One grandmother remarked to us that she was very impressed her grandson knew so much about bushfire safety! The text was very relevant as on that day, there was haze in the air from bushfires in the area.”

Sally Hagley, Teacher, St Joseph's Primary School, Merriwa, April 2016. 

Resources in our library

The collection includes both books on bush fire safety and also a smaller collection on books about general fire safety for children around the home. There is a number of activity sheets. The activity sheets have been compiled by the NSW RFS Librarian and the Community Engagement Group to be used to accompany several of the books from the collection and are available to download.

• Activity Sheets
• Children's Books About Bush Fire
• Children's Fire Safety Books for the Home

Other resources

• NSW Rural Fire Service Information Page for School Teachers
• Stormbirds - Good Grief two level program for primary and secondary school students who have experienced a natural disaster

Activity Sheets

Pookie the Kangaroo Braves the Bushfire Activity Sheet
Billabong Bill's Bushfire Christmas Activity Sheet
Captain Kangaroo Saves the Day Activity Sheet
Bertie and the Great Jellyland Bushfire 
Smokey's home 
Applesauce and the Christmas Miracle Activity Sheet
Myro and the bushfire
Fire
Bushfire
Where there's smoke

Children's Books About Bush Fire

• Banjo Blue and the bushfire
• When the fire met the sea
• The house on the mountain
• Bertie and the great Jellyland bushfire
• The magic fire at Warlukurlangu : a Dreaming narrative
• Grandpa's farm : a summer's day
• Tachy the echidna
• Bushfire Madness
• Pookie the kangaroo braves the bushfire
• Myro and the bushfire
• Panda and the bushfire
• Bush rescue
• Fire
• Applesauce and the Christmas miracle
• Captain Kangaroo saves the day
• Bookfire - all you need to know about bushfires
• Finding home
• The great Possum Creek disasters omnibus
• Billabong Bill's bushfire Christmas
• Bushfire
• Fire-engine Lil
• Three little diggers
• Edward’s magic paintbox
• Soot on our boots
• Magpie’s fire
• Kangaroos' Lucky Escape
• Smokey's home - Short DVD and Book available
• Now
• Mrs. Wombat meets the bushfire brigade
• Where there's smoke
• Bushland Blazing

Children's Fire Safety Books for the Home

• Fire safety with Lieutenant Toby
• Fire drill
• Miss Mingo and the fire drill
• Arthur's fire drill
• No dragons for tea, fire safety for kids (and dragons)